


Her Eyes, Her Smile

by snowzone5



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Background Jim "Chief" Hopper, Crying, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Kissing, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-10
Updated: 2019-07-15
Packaged: 2020-06-25 21:25:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 25,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19754092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowzone5/pseuds/snowzone5
Summary: Takes place about 10 years after S2. Mike moves out of Hawkins into a loft in a new city. El and her roommate and best friend live across the hall. Enough plot to hold it together. But if you don't like Mileven fluff/feels time to move on. :) I have to get this out of my system. Exploring Mike and Eleven connection, but also Max/Eleven, Hopper/Eleven.





	1. At First Sight

**Author's Note:**

> Very first story I posted on FFnet. Some editing to clean up mistakes.

Everyone thought as president of Hawkins AV Club, Mike would naturally end up in a media communications program in college. If not that, at least some kind of technology program, computers, electronics, something.

But Mike read a lot, and Mr. Clarke told him that the way the brain works he would naturally start writing better. True enough, his English grades improved significantly. He spent a long time designing his D&D campaigns and they got very intricate. He let Mr. Clarke read a few of them. He told Mike he should consider submitting them for actual publication. Of course Will was a shoo in to do the illustrations and the diagrams, and along with Dustin and Lucas, the play testing was already done.

So college a literature program appealed to him. His career in writing took off. And he moved to get out of Hawkins. Not too far because he knew he'd want to visit a fair bit but he wanted to be in a "Literary city"

Mike was tired. He was taking the last of his boxes of books up to his loft so he decided to push himself a little despite his waning strength. The top of the boxes he was carrying went a was a little higher than his head, so with some difficulty he grabbed his keys, and let the top box lean against his right ear and he carried them awkwardly to the building's main door.

"I will open the door for you" a young woman's voice said beyond his vision.

"You are an angel" Mike said, and could hear her soft giggle.

His arms were screaming, but this was his last load, and even though he rarely drank, he figured a cold beer would be his reward when he was finished.

He had no idea where he was in the hallway on his floor when he heard "Not stalking you but it seems we live on the same floor. I can open your door for you." It was the same voice he'd heard earlier.

"You are my guardian angel then, cause I'm about to pass out with the effort. I don't have a lot of upper body strength…accidentally revealing he was a 90 pound weakling," he said and he heard that musical giggle again.

"Grab my keys, in my left hand. It's…um, number 1253, on the left"

"Can't be. You must be in 1254." 

"Ok, um, I guess you could be psychic" Mike said.

"I'm 1253, she said accidentally giving away her apartment number." She mimicked his thinking aloud narration.

"Have you seen the huge muscles in my arms?" Mike said.

"No". Uncertainty in her voice.

"Yeah, because I don't have any. What I do have are screaming in pain, I have to put these down."

And then right afterward, he said "sorry If I sounded rude, I really am at my limit. I'm gonna crash tonight. Even though I haven't even put together the bed I just bought. Probably going to have to make a temporary blanket fort…once I find the blankets, and the sofa cushions . And plans to make a blanket fort . And the pillows. Am I missing anything? Uh, sorry for running off at the mouth, I do that when I'm tired, nervous, excited, uh…, I do that a lot."

"You have no energy left because it's all going to your mouth" she said laughing.

"Yeah, sorry. So now you know when I come over your apartment at number 1253 that I just secretly learned the location of to borrow a cup of sugar, it'll take me 2 minutes just to ask for it." He heard another giggle his loft door slide open, and the young woman walking ahead of him.

"Oh…nice view" she said, "sorry I had to go in to get out of your way"

"That's ok, I would have invited you in anyway. just let me know if I'm about to trip over the stuff I've already brought up."

"Stop. You can put them where you are standing".

Mike put the boxes down, feeling a little dizzy from the strain, "...give me a sec". He took a couple of deep breaths. " I was never what you'd call the athletic type. I mean, I would always go bike riding with my friends so it wasn't like we were total nerds living in our mom's basement and didn't have any physical activity-well we were total nerds but we-. "

While still talking, he turned around and saw her for the first time. And then he stopped mid sentence.

Her eyes were big, round, and just… stunning.

She looked a little surprised and out of breath.

He got really weak in the knees and he sat down abruptly to avoid collapsing where he stood.

She hesitated, then rushed over with those eyes widening in concern and knelt down to his level her hand on his arm. "Are you ok?"

Mike nodded, but didn't say anything.

"Are you sure? You went from non-stop talking to… nothing"

Mike's cheeks are getting pink and he looked down at the floor in front of him avoiding her eyes. He finally looked at her and tried to clear his through but his voice was weak and a bit hoarse. He said the only think he could think of.

"You're so pretty I can hardly speak"

He looked back down again, and he knows his cheeks are a bright red now.

When he looks back up, she is looking into his eyes as if searching for something.

She looked away, and then got up quickly and walked out the door.


	2. Mike Meets Max

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be posting at 2 or 3 chapters a day. (I have a lot of stories to post.) The chapters get longer.

Mike didn't know what to do. He didn't know how long he'd been sitting there, but at least he was able to think again. "Smooth move Wheeler. That probably wasn't too weird." He said to himself.

He finally got up to close the loft door. He was just about to lock in when he heard someone hammering it on from the other side so he slid the door back open to see who it was.

"Hey asshole." It was a different young woman with long red hair. Her eyes were fierce and blazing. With both hands she shoved him roughly in the chest making him step back a few feet.

"What did you say to El, asshole? She's crying back there. She never cries. What did you say asshole?"

"L?" Mike was a little flabbergasted.

"What, you didn't bother asking her name while you were being an asshole? Asshole? Let me repeat it for you asshole. What did you say to El? " She shoved him again with both hands harder than the first time.

Mike was sure he would have palm sized bruises on his chest before the day was out.

"I'm waiting, asshole"

Mike looked down and said in a low voice, "I said she was pretty"

"Can't hear you asshole" She cupped a hand behind her ear and craned her neck forward staring at him. She was expecting an answer.

"I said she was pretty" he was a little louder this time.

"Really, asshole, you expect me to believe that? What did you SAY".

"Actually what I said was that she was so pretty I could hardly speak." Mike said looking down he could feel his cheeks reddening again.

"And does that pick up line usually work for you asshole? Didn't work this time did it? ...Asshole. "

"Pick up line?" He looked back at her.

"Are you not hearing me under that mop of hair on your head asshole?"

"It wasn't a pick up line. It was the truth."

"That's bullshit asshole, quit lying to me."

"Friends don't lie. I don't lie. Nothing good can come from it."

"Too bad I'm not your friend asshole, never will be, and if I have anything to say about it El won't be either"

"You pick all her friends do you?" Mike was starting to get a little angry at her tirade. "…and my name is Mike, but you can call me asshole."

"Nope .I just filter out the assholes. Welcome to the list, Mike the Asshole." She smirked acknowledging his comeback, but gave him the finger as she went back into the apartment across the hall.

Mike was feeling a bit low. He didn't take confrontation very well. He was about to slide the door closed when he noticed that the apartment number across the hall was 1253. "Oh great." They must be friends or roommates…or more than friends he thought, this was the '90's after all.


	3. Her Smile

Whenever Mike was feeling bad he would do what he always did as a kid. Sit in his blanket fort and wallow in self pity for awhile.

It took him almost an hour of going though boxes, but he finally had everything he needed to make a blanket fort in front of the floor to ceiling windows in the loft. It didn't feel like _his_ loft yet.

She was right, this was a good view. He'd spent a month apartment hunting just to get the perfect view.

It hurt to think about her. He sighed and got ready to crawl into the fort when he heard a sharp knock with a weird pattern on the door.

Mike didn't really have it in him to confront the red-head again. He could tell she was going to be a force to be reckoned with whenever he encountered her in the hallway. And she was right, they'd probably never be friends but maybe they could be civil towards each other at some point. That wouldn't be today though. He sighed again and said to himself, "let's get this over with"

The knock pattern came again and Mike thought he might be able to avoid the confrontation. Before opening the door he said loudly "Mike the Asshole is unable to take anymore visitors today." Maybe the red-head would leave him alone.

"Mike?" not much above a whisper through the door.

It was her.

He opened the door.

It was her.

She was carrying a bag. Her eyes were downcast, without looking at him she said, "sorry about Max"

He nodded. "No problem, El he said knowing her name from the second person ever to call him an asshole".

He got a half smile, and continued. "Never apologize for protective friends. They can be loyal to a fault. I know, I have three of them and I wouldn't have it any other way. Max is obviously a good friend. Did you, um want to come in?"

She hesitated. Then nodded. "Yes"

"Um, sorry about the wasteoid creep factor" Mike said. He hadn't used the word wasteoid in ten years. "Uh, that's never happened to me before". He looked down, finding his feet fascinating once again.

"Mike?" He looked up at her. "I understand". She gave him a small smile. Her eyes, searching his again.. It was devastating.

"Uh, cool, um I have to sit down." He felt his knees go weak. "But I think I can still talk to you" he said with a crooked smile. He sat cross legged in the middle of the floor.

"Cool" she said and sat across from him on the floor also cross legged, their knees almost touching. "Never happened to me before either. Didn't mean to run out. Overwhelmed"

"When you left...I thought..." Mike took in a deep breath and let it out slowly giving him time to compose himself. "...I thought I would never see you gain. I didn't know what I was going to do."

"Did Max really call you an ass…asshole?" The way she said it he could tell she wasn't used to swearing. "And she was the second person?"

Mike laughed. " Yeah, Dustin has called me that a few times. Never malicious. Max... um, only a dozen times or so. Not too bad. But there was progress, in the end she called me 'Mike the Asshole' so at least she knows my first name… and then she gave me the finger. "And she, um, also said that she and I would never be friends…and that you and I would never be friends either if she had any say in the matter. She didn't leave many options open."

El's face darkened. Mike thought it was kind of scary. Then It softened and she gave him that smile , "She is very protective, but she doesn't pick my friends… she doesn't hold back. On much of anything."

"I could tell. I don't want to get between you and Max. It's not fair to either of you... um is the letter L really your name?"

"My parents were hippies, it's actually E-L" She spelled it out.

"Oh, so El short for Eleven?" Mike said.

El got really wide eyed, "How…How did you know?"

"You said your parents were hippies. I know back then hippie couples used to give all kinds of flakey-uh, not to say your name is flakey, uh ok it's a little flakey but it's cool-" Mike said quickly trying to recover, "but um, ah, different names, like Sunshine, Sunflower, Rain, River, that kind of thing. So El would be a perfect short version of Eleven. The obvious choices...didn't feel right."

"That's not the name I was given originally, just the one I've had..… but… I was adopted later. My birth certificate says 'Jane'. Long story. Later, ok?

"It's ok, El" Mike said.

"Only my friends call me El" she said. "Friends?" She looked at him the question still in her eyes.

"Friends." He said. "Oh, Um, I may need verify with Max, so... you know… no guarantees" He said smiling.

She giggled "Of course, no guarantees".

Her eyes suddenly went serious , "You told Max that friends don't lie. That _you_ don't lie. Do you…" She paused, looked away and ran her hand over her hair then looked back at him, "Still pretty?"

"Yeah, pretty...really pretty" He was having a hard time looking into those eyes.

A single tear rolled down her cheek, and without warning Mike leaned over awkwardly and hugged her. She hugged him back like she never wanted to let go.

"Thank you, Mike." He didn't know what he did, she had to know she was pretty. Girls knew that kind of thing didn't they?

"Hey, I have something to show you" He stood up, and held out his hand to help her up. She reached up and when they clasped hands, he felt a tingly sensation. When Mike pulled her up and she was only inches from his face. They both looked down with pink cheeks.

"Over here." He held on to her hand and led her over to the large windows.

"I've seen the view, remember? I had your keys and just walked in."

"Ah, but" He put both hands on her shoulders and slowly turned her around. "You haven't seen _this_ "

El smiled. "Your blanket fort".

"And you see how it's strategically placed to view a sunset?" He motioned her forward. "You can be the first person to test it out." She hesitated, then got down and crawled in. Once settled she looked out and up at him.

"Cozy"

"I'm comin' in" Mike got down also and crawled in. El scooted over a little bit. When they were both sitting comfortably side by side, almost touching.

They were both silent for a few minutes and then Mike said, "This is where I will go when I want to think, or I'm feeling not quite myself. I was about to get in when you knocked. Is uh, that knock Morse code?" She nodded. His brows furrowed a little bit, thinking..." Um, that stands fo 'us' ". El looked down nodded again but didn't say anything.

They both looking out the window. Mike heard a big sigh coming from El. "This is nice," she said.

"Yeah, watching a sunset with someone is pretty much a rule with a blanket fort like this. You know, if you, um, are interested?"

El nodded. Immediately her eyes got wide, "What time is it?" El crawled out quickly and stood up almost in a panic. Mike followed her out immediately.

"7:20…you don't wear a watch?" He looked down at her wrist.

She covered her wrist up quickly, and her cheeks were red, "7-2-0?". He nodded.

"I've never been very good a telling time. Like I said long story.. for later. I need to call my dad at 7-4-0"

"Oh ok, 7:40 um," he took off his old calculator watch and reached for her arm, she hesitated but then held out her left wrist.

And then he saw it. A tattoo.

011.

"Ok that's kind of cool, you tattooed your name on your arm"

"No". She looked embarrassed and hurt at the same time.

"Oh… uh, you don't like it do you"

"No. Later ok?" Her eyes were insistent.

"Um, sorry, ok, um, this watch doesn't have the original band on it anymore, this one is a lot wider. It will cover it up." He gently took her hand, his fingers felt that tingly sensation again when he touched her... and strapped the watch on to her thin wrist. "See, no one can see it now"

"Thank you, Mike." She looked down at her wrist. The tattoo was completely covered. And she smiled. He'd never seen anyone smile like that before. He'd definitely not seen her smile like that in the short time he'd seen her, but her whole face lit up. He got the feeling she didn't smile like that very often.

And her eyes… Her. Eyes. Were. Absolutely. Stunning.

Right then. Right there, Mike made the decision to get El to smile like that every chance he could. Get her to giggle. Get her to laugh, but mostly to get her to smile like that again. "You better get going if you want to make that call on time. You um, can come back again when you're done….if you want to." He nodded towards the blanket fort. "We can watch the sunset."

"I'd like that." El smiled shyly at him. That same smile reaching her eyes. Both checks pink. She turned to go back to her apartment.


	4. The 'Don't Be Stupid' Rules

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a quick setup chapter.

El went back to their apartment in a little bit of a daze. She was flushed. Her face was sore from the wide smile that wouldn't go away. She was almost positive she had floated back to the apartment. It sure felt like it. She had butterflies. She felt tingly when Mike had hugged her.

She had to call Dad. And then she had to go back and see Mike again.

She closed the door to the apartment and turned around. Max was waiting with her arms crossed. "Well you're not crying, so I guess he decided not to be an asshole this time?"

"He's not an-" El lowered her eyes "oh, Max I really think I'm falling for him." And then El's breath hitched and she started to sob. Max came over quickly and hugged her.

"You haven't even known him for a full day yet!"

"4 hours and 25 minutes" El said half laughing half crying.

"What?"

"I've known Mike 4 hours and 25 minutes." She held out her wrist with Mike's watch on it. "But I'm not counting"

Max looked at the watch. "He gave you his watch? What kind of guy-" And then she saw that the watch covered her tattoo. "You didn't tell him did you?"

"No"

"Then how did he know to…cover it"

"Think he saw it in my face. Don't know, can't explain it. But he knew exactly what to do. Think we have a connection of some kind."

"Uh, El, guys just aren't that deep. He didn't tell you that did he?"

"Mike didn't tell me that. _I'm_ telling you that. He's not like any guy I've ever met. It's like I don't have to explain myself, he gets it and goes with it. He knew El was short for Eleven."

"How the hell can he know that? He should have come up with Ellen from France or Eleanor from Sweden or something."

"El," Max grabbed her shoulders and looked into her eyes no more than a foot from her face. "El, don't stay with him tonight. No matter what you feel for him."

"Max, you know my 'Don't Be Stupid' rules." El said her eyes looking back at Max with the same intensity. "The ones Dad gave me have kept me physically safe. And the ones you gave me have kept my heart safe."

Max was a bit relieved, but not totally convinced. "Be careful, El. When the first serious relationship you are in falls apart. It's bad. _You_ will feel like you're dying inside, while _he_ goes on to the next girl. You will blame yourself. You may even consider doing something stupid like trying to get him to come back, or even trying to get revenge...well I don't need to repeat the rules. I just want you to be careful...really _really_ think about this before you are tempted to say over there." Max looked down. "This is happening way too fast for you...maybe for anybody."

Max looked over at the wall clock, "Speaking of your Dad, you better call him. Are you going to tell him about Mike?"

"Yes"

"You know what he's going to say don't you?"

"Have a good idea." El turned to head to her room, and looked back, "You're a good friend to me Max. Mike even said that."

"He what? Why would he say that? I lost track of how many times I called him an asshole."

"I think he knows you two will never be friends, he knows you are protecting me." El smiled. "I think..."

She was hesitant to even say it out loud, "I think he likes me."


	5. Mad Max 2

Mike was a minutes into sorting through a box. When there was a hammering on his door again. He knew that sound.

Only a certain red-head could make that kind of noise.

He sighed and went to the door, and said. "The secret password to enter is 'asshole' or 'please'." He was pretty sure what the response would be.

"Please. " it was Max's voice.

Mike was caught off guard, but he unlocked the door and pulled it open. "Is El ok?" Without invitation Max walked in and said, "Close the door. She can't hear this."

"Is El ok?" He repeated.

"She's fine a-" Max stopped herself from calling him an asshole again.

Mike looked at another watch he'd put on and said, "um it's been almost 15 seconds and you haven't called me an asshole yet" He cupped his hand to his ear and craned his neck forward just like Max had done earlier, waiting for the word.

"Oh you're funny a-" Max stopped herself again.

"Ok that's twice you've stopped yourself from calling me an asshole. What's going on?"

"El is what's going on. She said you weren't an asshole."

"I'm not?" Mike said smirking.

"El happens to be a really good judge of people."

"I know. She has you for a friend and friends like you are hard to find." Mike looked down and waited for the insult.

"Ok then, so what I'm about to say shouldn't come as any surprise."

"If I hurt El, you'll kick my ass, or worse…I'm pretty sure you can take me given our earlier encounter."

"Ok you get it."

"As a matter of fact, when El left to make her call, I decided I would do my best to get her to smile the way she did after I gave her the watch."

"Ah, you've seen that smile." Max said. Her face lost the hard edge it had and she had the beginnings of a smile.

"Yeah, who wouldn't want to see that again? Instant cure for a bad day." Mike looked down at his feet. When he looked up, he could see Max quickly wiping her eyes.

"We're on the same page, and I think I may have to re-think my first rule."

"That all guys are assholes?"

"That's the one." Max said. It was an easy guess. He could see in her eyes she was deadly serious. "I have a request."

"I'm probably not going to like this am I?"

"I don't know. Depends. Depends on how much of an asshole you are." Max smiled, then got serious. "Don't let her stay with you tonight. Not even if she wants to. Just don't do it. Please… Mike?"

"I think we're just going to talk. Um, anything else would be a little…" Mike thought of the word... "Presumptuous."

Max didn't look convinced. "That would put you farther ahead than any other guy she's met which has been very few. Guys can't past her hair"

"What's wrong with her hair? Mike said.

"You didn't notice?" Max still didn't look convinced.

"I couldn't get past her eyes" Mike said. "Um, I think she had really short hair, like it had been buzzed a few weeks ago? Just guessing here, I really didn't notice. So, um, she likes to keep her hair shorter than usual. Doesn't make any difference. Your hair doesn't make you who you are."

"She won't grow it long. Not even for you".

"Um, ok, any reason I should know?"

Max thought for a moment and then said, "ok I can tell you this without breaking my promise to El. There's an organization that takes donated hair and makes wigs out of them for cancer patients undergoing Chemo. El's hair has a natural curl when it gets going so it's in high demand, she gets a buzz cut every year and donates. I've never seen her hair much longer than six or seven inches."

Mike nodded. "Must be personal for her, I know for girls that's a hard thing to do . My sister cries if she gets more than half an inch cut."

"Mike…" The intensity of Max's gaze was unnerving. "She's never had any kind of a relationship with a guy, let alone a serious one. I need to tell you…" She looked at the door. "This is what she can't hear, I'm not breaking my promise to her, but there are things you need to know, if nothing else, to decide for yourself."

"Um, ok, sounds ominous" Mike was getting a little antsy. "I mean how bad can it be, was she chained up in a basement for 10 years as a kid or something?" He said joking.

"12." Max looked at him. She looked like she was about to cry.

"Oh… Shit" Mike sat down hard on the floor. Max sat down across from him, not quite as close as El had. "It was bad, huh?"

"You have no idea. And if you have no idea how to handle this then you need to forget about her. Now"

"I can't do that, Max" Mike looked down at his feet again. "What happened to her Max?"

"It's not my place to tell. And I wouldn't break my promise to El anyway. I can tell you that she doesn't like enclosed places, she's not had a proper education, she was home schooled but not professionally. She doesn't know a lot of things, you'll notice she doesn't speak a lot. And when she does usually not in full sentences, and if she does use full sentences , they tend to be very slow and deliberate. She's smart as a whip though, she can learn things faster than most people do. So don't treat her like a child. Kindness is one thing, pity and talking down to her will just piss her off. Are you getting the picture? And don't push her on her past. She will shut down. If or when she wants you to know, she'll tell you. And it will be painful for both you. "

Mike nodded not sure what to say.

And then Max got her hard edge back "You come here with your rock star good looks, leaving behind a trail one night stands with women who can't count higher than their age, and if think you are gonna add El to a notch on your belt? Not. Going. To. Happen. You hearing me? Let me add 'asshole' for emphasis."

Mike was red in the face. "I've never had a girlfriend. I've always been too much a nerd and a geek, girlfriends were not really an option. And, um, no one night stands."

"I find that hard to believe. Nobody is that much of a nerd."

"I'm guessing you never had a nerd boyfriend…or girlfriend" Mike shrugged. "Nerds learn really early on not to get interested in anybody."

"Boyfriend. And no, I wouldn't touch a nerd with a…" Max stopped talking. She got his point. "I guess while I'm making you feel like a piece of shit I should continue. Her dad would have no problem coming up here and pounding the shit out of you."

"So..." Max said, "after hearing that, what are your intentions with my best friend?"

Mike took a deep breath and looked at Max. "To spend the rest of my life with her."

Max started to cry but wiped away tears quickly . "Jeezus, I can't believe you just made me cry."

"Sorry, I had to tell you the truth. I promise to try and not make El cry either."

"Don't you dare say that...just don't. Do you _know_ what a promise is?

"Of course I do, It's something you can't break…Ever"

"Ever. That's right. But a promise to El…it's very special. Something both her dad and I learned the hard way…just don't make one you can't keep. If you break a promise, _any_ promise to El, you could lose her. Maybe forever." Max's eyes were so intense that Mike was taken aback.

"I don't want to lose her."

"Ok, so if you promise. You _promise._ " Max eyes narrowed, "I can't make it any clearer than that."

"No, I get it. You are looking out for her" Mike said quietly. Looked at her again, "my promises can be engraved on steel."

And then Max completely threw Mike off again and said "Soooo, what the hell do you do that you can afford a loft. Or buy my best friend nice things?"

"I'm a writer. I don't make Stephen King money, but I do ok."

"You write anything I might have read?" Max looked around at the piles of books that Mike had emptied out of boxes.

"Probably not, I write mainly fantasy, some horror mixed in." Mike got up looked around at the various piles of books, headed towards one and grabbed a book near the top of one stack. And handed it over to Max.

Max read the title "The Beast of Myrkvior. Jeezus, _you're_ Mike Wheeler? I'm re-reading this book right now. Wow, I want to talk to you about that series…later though….by the way, you know the 7th one 'The lost Systir' sucked right? I know it had to be done to set up the 8th and 9th books, but you took everyone out of their comfort zone and they didn't like it."

"And I'm never gonna live that one down."

"Shit." Max said looking thoughtful.

"What?"

"You're the main character aren't you?"

"There's a little of me in all my characters, but yeah."

"That character is so lonely, just hurts to read his…" Max stopped. Got up and walked over to Mike and hugged him. "You are going to be so good for El.." She said quietly wiping her eyes again. "Jeezuz, Wheeler..."

"My next book is going to be called 'From Asshole to Hugs' I think". Mike chuckled.

"Just be good to her Mike..."

Mike saw her give a huge sigh like the weight of the world had been taken off her shoulders. He said, "if I get half a chance, yeah. Count on it."

Max checked her watch. "El has finished her call, I'm pretty sure she still wants to come over. But if not, don't take it personally." Max squeezed his shoulder and went to the door "Later Wheeler"


	6. The Call

"Hi Dad"

"Hey kid"

"I met someone today." Hopper was silent for a few seconds, he had known this day was coming. She'd met guys before, but nothing ever came of it. Today her voice sounded different. He felt the slight pang of loss and couldn't help thinking to himself. This is the one. My girl has grown up.

"What did we talk about?"

"I know dad. Remember Max gave me rules too."

"Does this someone have a name?"

"Mike."

"Does he have a last name? I can do a background check on him. Save you a lot of time if he turns out to be an asshole."

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you'd just talked to Max. Max called him that lots of times. She said she lost track." Then El's voice got really quiet. "He's not an ass...asshole".

"Sorry El, you know Max and I are just looking out for you. Neither of us wants to see you hurt."

"Mike would never hurt me."

"You don't know that, kid. Some guys can be complete and utter assholes. Nice on the outside, but assholes just the same. Wouldn't think twice about taking advantage of someone like you."

"Mike would _never_ hurt me." There was a determination in El's voice that left no room for argument.

"Ok, Ok, So when did you meet Mr. Wonderful? How long have you known him?"

"4 hours and 34 minutes"

"But you're not counting." Hopper replied with one of their in-jokes.

"I'm counting every single minute I'm not with him." El said seriously. "...If that's what you're asking." Her voice had a smile in it.

Hopper knew she had it bad. He was going to have to talk to Max. And then he was going to have to talk to this _Mike_.

"Why don't the three of you come up for the weekend? You're due for a road trip up here anyway...right kid? He smiled tried to project as much guilt into her as possible. He would read _Mike_ the Riot Act. He would make no room for doubt what would happen to Mike if he hurt El. No room for doubt at all.

"Road...trip?" El said. "I'm not sure Max would let Mike in her car... drag him behind it maybe, but not in the car." But El had to admit going on a trip with her two of her three favourite people -and she was pretty sure Mike was now one of her favourites- sounded like a lot of fun. She'd just have to convince Max.

"I can talk Max into i.t" Hopper said. "Just tell her to give me a call when you talk to him again… which I can only assume you are going to do as soon as you kick me off the phone". He was teasing, but El was very serious when she replied.

"This is _our_ time dad… Mike's time can come after."

She could almost hear him pause, clearing his throat to fill in the silence. "Ok, what else is going on in your life?"

"Since we talked yesterday? ...just Mike" She could already picture her dad rolling his eyes. So she thought she'd tease him a little bit.

"I opened the building door for Mike, and Mike said I was an angel, and I opened Mike's loft door with Mike's keys, and Mike said I really _was_ an angel. And Mike gave me his watch so I could tell time better, and Mike said I was pretty, and Mike showed me his blanket fort, and Mike...Had enough? I'm sticking my tongue out at you."

"Yer killing me kid". But Hopper was grinning from ear to ear.

They talked for a few minutes. They did that every night if it was humanly possible. They hadn't missed a night in ten years.

When they were done, El hung up and left her room. She could see Max in the kitchen and went over to talk her about calling her dad.

Max looked like she'd been crying. Max didn't cry. Not in the ten or twelve years they'd been best friends. Something was up.

"You ok?"

Max smiled. She had a hunch, "This question will seem like it's out of the blue-" She saw the look on El's face.

"...out of the blue?"

"Ask Mike to explain it, did you notice his rock star hair do?"

"Didn't get past those eyes, so... no," El said looking down.

"Hmph, thought so. He said the same thing about you." She caught El's little smile. "You guys are going to be impossible to be around."

Max reached up and hugged El. "You be good to him, ok?"

"What? Didn't you call him an asshole like a hundred times? Now _I'm_ the one who has to be good to _him_? " El thought the butterflies that had come back with a vengeance would burst out. "What happened?"

Max shrugged, "I talked to him and-" Max was holding up the book she'd been re-reading.

El cut her off. Her face fell little. "You don't need to tell me that story again. Not sure I could take the hero's loneliness…too sad."

"… this is your Mike." She held the book so that El could read the spine.

"My Mike." El repeated smiling again, then read: _Mike Wheeler_. Her eyes got wider than Max had ever seen them. She looked over in the direction of his loft, her mouth fell open.. "He's the author?" Then she thought of the main character Max had told her about through nine really thick books .

"Oh, Max... I need to see him again...soon"

"I know El, he's waiting." She gestured toward the door. El tried to not run.

She called back over her shoulder. "Oh, call my dad, he wants to grill you on how much of an asshole Mike is."


	7. The Blanket Fort

Oh, wait El." Max grabbed some keys off the counter and followed El out the door.

"Whose keys are those." El asked.

"I'm guessing you got them from Mike. He probably wants them back no matter how he feels about you. And I need to apologize to Mike."

El did the knock on the loft door. Max looked puzzled by the knock.

A few seconds later Mike slid the door back.

"Hello ladies." Mike and El looked at each other. To Mike's credit he gave Max a slight nod in acknowledgment as they walked into the room.

El went to stand by Mike's side and turned to look at Max. Max noticed that their hands found each other and their fingers interlaced as they held hands.

"Jeezus, you guys are _really_ going to be impossible to be around." Max rolled her eyes.

"What?" Mike and El said at the exact same time and tried to do the hand gesture, and noticed they were holding hands. They looked at each other both turned red and laughed at the same time.

"Oh gawd, I think I just threw up a little bit in my mouth. Here are the keys your girlfriend stole from you." She handed Mike the keys she'd grabbed off the counter.

"Is that where they went to?" Mike looked a bit relieved, "hold on…" He manipulated the key ring and managed to slide off two keys in short order.

"This is for you" he handed a key to Max, "and this one is for you." He handed one to El.

Both Max and El looked puzzled. "It's good neighbouring 101. You give someone you trust a key so in case emergency services needs to get in and the superintendent isn't around a neighbour can let them in. I'm in a new town. You two are the only people I trust right now. You know despite my extreme assholeness."

"Yeah…about tha.t" Max said. "You convinced me you're not an asshole. But that can change anytime."

"I know it's probably absolutely the hardest thing you've ever had to do in your whole entire life but you did it for El. So I accept your humble apology." Mike grinned.

"Screw you Wheeler…I'm outta here." She turned with a smile and left.

"Max likes you." El said smiling.

"Yeah, well she's not my type. Feisty doesn't begin to describe her, the new category should be called 'Max'". That got a giggle out of El.

"How'd your call go?" He started to look through boxes.

"My dad is starting to mellow out, think he passed on his gruff to Max"

"What does he do for a living?" Mike was making conversation as he started searching through a box he'd just opened . "Sorry I kind of need to make a dent in unpacking while we talk"

"He's the police chief in a small town where nothing ever happens"

Mike chuckled. "Sounds like my hometown Hawkins. That's in Indiana. Nothing ever happens there."

"You know Jim Hopper?" El froze, but Mike wasn't looking and didn't make the connection, he started rambling.

"Well, not personally, I was never arrested by him or anything. My sister and her husband -boyfriend at the time- exposed a secret government lab in Hawkins. Hmm, so I guess I was wrong when I said nothing ever happens there. Anyway, Chief Hopper, went all scorched earth on that place when he led a SWAT police raid there. They found some messed up stuff going on in the lab, they were doing experiments on kids they'd stolen from…" One revelation after another hit Mike like a runaway train.

He looked over at El. Tears were streaming down her face. She collapsed to the floor and started wailing. Mike hurried over and knelt down. He felt helpless and did the only he could think of. He moved her into the blanket fort. The sound she was making was heartbreaking. The sound of a soul crying out in fear and anguish. He pulled her into a tight hug and held her while she cried out. He held her while she cried out years of captivity. He held her while she cried out years of punishment. Years of humiliation and loneliness, neglect, and loss. Her body was wracked with sobs. Mike was unable keep his own tears contained. This girl was hurting in ways he couldn't even imagine.

He held her long after she stopped crying . He held her until finally her body went limp with exhaustion.

"Mike," she said weakly. "Stay?"

"I won't leave you El"

"Promise?"

"Promise"

She curled up to his side and put her arms around Mike's waist, and leaned her head on his shoulder and fell asleep.

They stayed that way till dawn broke.


	8. Max's Call and The Morning After

Max made the call. "It's me."

"Were you mean to anybody today?

"I lost track of how many times I called someone an asshole. Does that count?"

"Ah, that would be our Mike." Hopper said.

"That would be El's Mike." Max said correcting him.

"Call it a cop's hunch, but you don't think he's an asshole anymore do you? What changed?"

"You have to hear how they talk about each other. How they are together, it's been only 5 hours or something and they've probably only said half a dozen things to each other but it's like they've known each other for a thousand years. It's really weird."

Hopper sighed. "I'm telling you Max, if this guy breaks her heart. I will hunt him down and punch him. Hard."

"Aside from you, he's the going to be the best thing that ever happened to her. I'm kind of jealous, I mean he's definitely not my type, but this thing they have…freaky… but in a good way."

"What's this guy's last name?"

"Wheeler, turns out he's a pretty good writer, I'm re-reading one of his books right now."

Hopper was silent for a long time. Max thought they'd lost the connection and said, "Hello? Hop, you still there?"

"Wheeler is from Hawkins. His sister and her boyfriend helped bring that lab to its knees."

Max was almost speechless. "Shit, this is going to get complicated isn't it?"

"Maybe not. I talked El into you guys coming up here for the weekend. She said you'd rather drag Wheeler behind the car before letting him sit in it. Now that he gets to sit in the car, think you can make that happen?"

"I can make it happen."

"Max we should talk to her about some of the things she feels obligated to do."

"You're talking about her annual hair buzz aren't you. You know why she does that."

"I know, she really doesn't need to anymore. No way _I_ can talk her out of it. She won't listen to me. Not about that. Maybe you... and the Wheeler kid can."

"Mike wouldn't talk her out of it. He would encourage her to do whatever she wanted to do. Besides he didn't even notice her hair when they first met. It's not about the hair for him Hop. I can talk to him... if I can ever get him alone again. Don't expect much."

After the call to Hopper Max went back out to the living room to read more of the book. She would wait up for El, but she had the sinking feeling she was wasting her time. She just hoped Mike proved honourable and did the right thing. This was too soon for El.

* * *

El started to stir when it got light enough to see.

Mike was already awake but hadn't moved from her side. "I'm so sorry El, I didn't mean to make you cry."

"Not your fault. You didn't know." She said quietly.

"It's not the first time my mouth has gotten me into trouble."

"Mike. Not your fault. Needed to do that." El took in a deep breath and sighed. "For a long long time I've really needed to do that." They sat quietly together in a comfortable silence.

"Max is going to be mad at me." El said, "I told her I wasn't going to stay the night."

"I think she had something different in mind when she said that."

"I know." El's cheeks turned pink. "Bathroom?"

"Way down where all the boxes are." Mike nodded towards the far end of the loft.

The both crawled out of the blanket fort. "That was my first sleep in a blanket fort." El said. "Thank you Mike."

"I uh, built it for two."

She smiled shyly and nodded, and walked towards the bathroom.

Mike stretched when he heard a knock on the door. Uh, oh, he knew this encounter with Max would not go as smooth as the last one.

He slid the door back.

"Mike, I was pretty sure I made a reasonable request last night." Max looked sad. "I'm a little disappointed."

Mike put a hand on her arm. "You did Max. Uh, nothing happened. El had a bad night. Um, I, uh, know about the lab. You were right. It was painful...for both of us. She kind of broke down...and I wasn't a whole lot better."

Max let out a huge shaky sigh. "Ok so now you know...details don't really matter." She gave him a half smile. "Nothing happened?"

"No, El is a little worried you'll be mad at her. So..."

"It's ok, Mike. I won't say anything." Her eyes flicked to his shoulder. Mike's shirt was soaked on his left side from his collar, to his shoulder sleeve and working its way to the shirt pocket.

"Eew, did you get sick on yourself?"

"El and I slept in the blanket fort...and that," Mike turned his head slightly and looked down at his soaked shoulder, "would be El's drool. Looks like she slept pretty good considering."

"Blanket fort?"

"You never had a blanket fort?"

"Never needed one Wheeler."

"Everyone needs a blanket fort. But...you will have to make your own. Mine was designed and built for El only and I."

"What was built for us only?" They both turned as El walked up to them.

"Blanket fort. Specifically for us." Mike said. El's cheeks flushed..

"Seriously Mike can I throw up on your other shoulder?" Max rolled her eyes.

"Change your shirt and I'll wash it for you." El said.

"Are you kidding? I'm never washing this shirt again." Mike sniffed and sighed. "It smells like you." El turned beet red.

Max started making gagging noises like she would hurl at any time.

"I need to take a shower." El said, "I can come back and help you unpack?"

"Yeah, that would be great..." He sighed again... "I'll miss you"

"Oh for God's sake Wheeler, it'll be an hour tops before she pretties herself up for you. I gotta go. I have half a dozen or so barf bags to fill up." Max and El walked back to their apartment..

* * *

"You mad at me Max?" El said quietly.

"No El. Last night would not have been a good time for anything to happen. Besides has he even kissed you yet? I mean I know you did that weird hand holding thing last night, but I've probably hugged him more than you have."

"You hugged Mike?"

"Yeah, the way he talked about you El…," Max gave a big sigh again. "There's no way a guy could fake that." Mike wears his heart on his sleeve. Transparent as a sheet of glass. I guess that's a good thing. He's never going to be able to lie to you. At least not with me in the same room. The way he talked about you... I hugged him. . I'm not trying to steal your boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend." El said crestfallen.

"But you want him to be, right?"

El's bottom lip quivered a little bit. "More than anything." She looked down. "All we've really done is flirted with each other and hugged a few times. Not much to go on. Starting to think I'm reading way too much into this."

"There was that freaky hand holding thing you guys did. You guys shared something special last night. Some of it a little scary, but he didn't run ...El...you aren't reading too much into it. Mike is really taken with you. He's in pretty deep."

Max made a disgusted noise, "I can't believe I'm actually going to say this but a guy that nice doesn't deserve to be hurt. Ever.. I didn't think there were any guys like that left on the planet." Max looked a little wistful. "Look, I can't tell you what to do. But if you have any doubts, you need to march on over there and tell him how you feel. This is the nineties, you can take matters into your own hands. Get this sorted out between you this morning before any more time passes."

Max didn't want to spring the road trip on El right now. Unless El and Mike were an actual couple there's be no reason for him to come along as just a friend. Max wasn't sure, but she could see the doubt and conflict in El's face.

El didn't know why Max was so was sure about how Mike felt, but she knew that the butterfly migration in her stomach would not go away until she has a serious talk with Mike. She had to know one way or the other. She really hoped it wasn't the other. She didn't know how she would deal with that. Mike could just have been being supportive last night and nothing more.

"This is driving me crazy, if i ever want to eat or sleep again I have to know." El took a deep breath. "This is it Max. I'm either coming back right away with nothing but an empty and bleak future...or talking all day to the guy I've dreamed I could be with my whole life."


	9. Sunset In The Fort

That knock on the door again.

Mike almost tripped over himself getting to the door. When he slid it open, El was standing there looking freshly scrubbed and radiant. Her round eyes were looking troubled.

"You ok, El?"

"We need to talk...in the blanket fort?" Doe eyes turned Mike's heart into pudding. He was suddenly very anxious that this might not be a good talk.

They both crawled into to the blanket fort. Mike sat crossed legged and El sat opposite sitting on her feet.

"Go ahead El, tell me what's on your mind."

"Ooh, this is going to be harder than I thought." El said in a shaky voice."About last night-"

"-You don't need to explain anything" Mike cut her off.

"No, Mike, this part I do. I never meant to cry like that in front of you. I figured _that_ particular cry would be with my dad or Max. Even though, I came to terms with all that stuff a long time ago, it all came rushing back, and I was overwhelmed. But the worst part was, " her voice got shakier still.

"Worst part was that I thought I'd ruined any chance I had with you."

El cast her eyes down unable to look to see if what she feared was reflected in Mike's eyes. Twin tears etched their way down her cheeks.

Mike was silent.

"Mike?" El's voice was barely above a whisper. "...please say something." She was terrified that he didn't feel the same way.

"I have been alone so long" Mike said slowly. He took a ragged breath. "I didn't think it was even possible to feel for someone the way I feel about you."

He leaned over and pressed a simple kiss on her mouth. Lingering for a few seconds. The kiss was a promise.. Mike put his entire being into it.

El looked a little surprised, with a quirky half smile as if she was neither expecting it or knew what it was for. Then she burst into tears.

"I'm such an ugly crier" she said breaking out into a laugh while still crying.

"I think you're pretty when you cry."

Mike reached up with both thumbs and brushed her tears away. "So, um, I'm not very good at this. I don't really know what the rules are but, uh, I think because you slept in the blanket fort, you have to be my girlfriend?" He looked at her, he had stopped breathing.

"Yes"

Mike let out his breath all at once. "Thanks El...you made that a lot… just...thanks El."

"Saying _yes_ the easiest thing I've ever had to do Mike."

El sniffed, drying her eyes, "...and besides I already marked you with about ten hours of drool. That's how I know you are my boyfriend." El felt giddy saying it aloud. Then with more confidence "I am Mike Wheeler's girlfriend."

"We should get T-shirts made" Mike said making her laugh.

"Mike, I want to run back over and tell Max, I'll actually help you unpack when I get back instead of unloading my emotional baggage on you."

"Sure." He pointed to his right shoulder. "You can unload on this shoulder anytime" then he pointed to his left. "This one is forever reserved for your drool."

El giggled, leaned over, hesitated a second and kissed him quick then crawled out of the blanket fort.

XXXXX

Max was drying her hair with a towel while looking at the morning sun streaming through the window and turned when she heard El close the door. "Shit." If El was back this early it probably didn't go well.

The look on El's face could have powered a small city. "I am Mike Wheeler's girlfriend."

"Shit." Max said again. "Now I have to go hug him again. Come on, have to tell you both something anyway." She started back over to the loft dragging El behind her.

Mike was head deep in a box when he heard Max's voice. "Stand up Wheeler, It's good news bad news time.

Mike stood up, "What did i do wrong this time?" Max immediately pulled him into a hug. "Ok Wheeler that was the last hug you get from me, you have a girlfriend now, El can take over the hugging duties."

"Ok, last hug" He said "...that was the bad news" He gave Max a sheepish look , "what's the good news?"

"You get to meet Chief Jim Hopper."

"Actually Max, I've already met him."

Max grinned. "Not as El's boyfriend you haven't. That will be a whole new experience for you. You're welcome."

"Hawkins is like five hours away."

"Road trip." Max smiled. "That's the real bad news. But the twist is, it's bad news for me, I have to be in the same car as you two for that length of time. I don't I have nearly enough barf bags."

"So I take it you're driving then? I don't think my clunker of a car would make it."

"I'm going to deliver you safe and sound to Hopper. No way you're getting out of this Wheeler."

"Don't stay up late kids, we leave when he sun comes up tomorrow morning." Max spun on her heel and left the loft.

Mike turned to El. "I am El Hopper's terrified boyfriend". He put his hands on her waist. "And I'm ok with that " He leaned in to kiss her. El smiled against his lips.

"So later after a hard days work unpacking, I get to watch the sunset in the blanket fort with my girlfriend."

Mike looked into her eyes. "El, I have no words to describe how good that makes me feel." El gave him _that_ smile.

XXXXX

El was an unpacking machine. She emptied boxes, broke them down and piled them by the loft door. She helped Mike put the few dishes she had in the kitchen area cupboards, assemble books cases for his books, and helped build the kingsize bed he had bought, while blushing the whole time.

"Wow. I thought it was going to take me a month to get all this done and still get some writing done. Thanks El."

El smiled. "I think I deserve a kiss for that...don't you?" Mike smiled, kissed her quick. El was flushed but not from but kiss.

"You ok, you look really flushed? I'd like to think it was me that did that to you but..." El giggled.

"I'm ok, I was working fast. I get that way when I put out a lot of energy. I need to rest a bit...blanket fort?"

"Blanket fort."

"I also really need a glass of wine" she smiled.

"Sorry El, I'm not much of drinker. I have a cold six pack in the fridge. No wine at all."

"Bag I brought over?"

"Um, I put it over here." Mike went over, took the bag off the floor and put it on the kitchen counter. There was a bottle of white wine in it.

"I will pour you a glass...after you have a glass of water". He grabbed a freshly unpacked glass, rinsed it out first, and filled it up.

"Drink up, you could be a little dehydrated...mostly from all the drool that came out of you."

"And the crying." El said quietly.

"Water for the drool, wine to replace the tears." Mike held both of her cheeks and kissed her softly. "Ok, drink up"

El finished the entire glass of water. "Good girl, wine will be your reward...but not right now. We should probably eat first, I'm starved."

"Can make you something…if you like my dad's cooking, it's the same."

"We'll order something..."

XXXXX

"Pizza in a blanket fort. It doesn't get any better than this El." Mike smiled at her, "well actually it does, sunset coming up."

They managed a quick cleanup, before settling into the blanket fort. El scooted next to Mike and he put his arm around her waist.

The sunset was spectacular. Mike felt vindicated that the time he put looking for the loft was worth it. But he would have sat there and looked at a brick wall as long El was by his side.

"You saved me," Mike said in a soft voice, "I didn't realize until I first heard your voice, how lonely I really was. At one point I thought I was going to go through life with no one. Then I heard your voice again. I was only half joking when I said you were an angel."

"And then, when I saw your eyes…" Mike's voice was barely a whisper by this point.

"You saved me, El."

"Mike," El breathed and laid her head on his shoulder. "My heart feels safe with you. Your heart is safe with me. I promise."


	10. Roadtrip

El woke up in the blanket fort cuddled up tight to Mike's side. He must have thrown a blanket over her in the middle of the night. She was warm from the blanket, and warm from Mike. She didn't want to move. This was perfect, how did she get so lucky?

"Mike?" She shook him gently.

His eyes snapped open, "you alright El?"

"I'm fine, we have to get up, roadtrip remember?"

"Right, today's the day I have to sit in a car for five hours to be beaten up by your dad at the end of the trip." El giggled.

"We need to change our clothes. Max wasn't kidding when she said she'd be here when the sun came up...remember she has a key now."

"Yeah." Mike said, "by the way I think I drooled on your head." El ran her hand over her short hair and smiled.

"Yes, I'm never washing my head again."

Mike laughed. "Don't tell that to Max. Ugh, we should probably shower, long day in the car and all that."

"I"ll be back with Max" El kissed him. "I'm now in Day 2 of being Mike Wheeler's girlfriend. So far so good."

Mike smiled. How did he get so lucky?

XXXXX

Mike had packed a gym bag full of everything he would need for the weekend. He figured if he needed anything else he could just pick it up in Hawkins anyway. Mike liked to travel light if he could get away with it.

He knocked an El and Max's apartment door.

A few seconds later Max opened the door. "Oh good, our muscle is here"

"Whoever told you I had muscles, I'd like to thank, but they were mistaken. Need help carrying the...?" Mike looked at the suitcases. "We're only going for the weekend right? Why do you need four suitcases?"

"One is my make-up, case, one is El's. One for my shoes, one for El's. We need help for the clothes suitcases still back in our rooms."

Mike kept a straight face. "Ok, shoes because, girls. And roadtrip. But we can eliminate the make-up cases. Both of you have natural beauty, so not needed. " Max's face turned a deep shade of red. Just then El came out, saw Max and looked at Mike.

"I think I just said your best friend was pretty."

"That's ok Mike." El turned to Max, "but _I_ am Mike Wheeler's girlfriend."

"You're never going to get tired of saying that are you?" Max said.

"Not this weekend."

Mike helped get their luggage down to the lobby. Max said, "I'll bring the car closer to the door."

A minute later a rumbling sound from around the corner until Max's car came in to view. Mike didn't know anything about cars, but it looked like one of those muscle cars from the early seventies. Before he was born anyway.

Max got out and opened the trunk with a key. Mike and Max got everything loaded. "So I'm guessing you want to sit with El...in the back seat." El was nodding vigorously with a huge smile on her face. Max rolled her eyes.

El got in first. When Mike was settled in, she scooted over to his side, their hands found each other again and interlaced automatically. They looked at each other and smiled.

"Too soon to fill up the first barf bag, Wheeler" Max said complaining from the driver's seat.

When they had gotten to the highway, Mike noticed that Max kept to the speed limit, even though it was clear she wanted to go much faster. Precious cargo. Mike thought to himself and smiled.

"I never asked you Max...the building we are in isn't the Hilton, but it's not exactly cheap either...um, what do you do that, uh, let's you live their regularly?"

Max looked in the rear view mirror, El was smiling, looked back at Max via the mirror and nodded slightly. "It's part of a compensation deal...from the lab incident."

"Max is my bodyguard," El said proudly.

"Bodyguard?" Mike was about to laugh, but saw that this wasn't a joke. "You carry a gun?"

"Please Wheeler, a gun- _any-_ gun is useless if you are grabbed from behind or rushed from the front. My body is a weapon." Mike didn't laugh. He was unsure how to take all this.

"Max is a martial arts trainer." El said. "Forgotten more moves than Chuck Norris will ever learn...but maybe not Bruce Lee."

"Ok, I was talking to Max and her best friend, my girlfriend El...and then suddenly we drove into the Twilight Zone and now I'm talking to my girlfriend's bodyguard. And they both know who Chuck Norris _and_ Bruce Lee is."

Max gave him the finger, "See this Wheeler, I know of at least 6 ways I can hurt you bad with it...but right now it just means what it's intended for." El laughed.

Mike looked at El and asked Max, "have you ever had to use your body-uh, sorry, um...ah..your training?"

"A few times. Just for me though, El was at home, I was outside on my own."

"Do you have to register yourself with the police on any town you enter?" Mike said.

"No, I register with the hospitals, Wheeler. Some people who misbehave badly tend go there before they end up in jail."

Mike had a new found respect for Max. "Wow, Max, I knew you were a badass, but this takes it to a whole new level. Makes me feel a lot better."

As the drive went on, Mike could feel El's body slowly tense up by degrees. She started to grip his hand tighter.

"You ok, El?"

She nodded. "I'll be ok... Mike, I don't want to be clingy, but...don't leave me alone while we are there?"

"I won't leave your side El. I can pretty much guess the Chief is going to want to talk to me alone for a few minutes. But after that, I will be close to you the entire time we're there….and that means sleeping arrangements are going to be awkward, but I'll get everyone to understand the alternative is not an option. For the record, I'm ok with clingy," Mike said and kissed her.

Wretching sounds from the front seat, "could you guys not do that in the back seat of my car?"

"Are we there yet?" Mike said trying to sound whiny. Max rewarded him with another finger.

Before long, El had finally settled down enough to feel sleepy. She rested her head on Mike's shoulder and fallen asleep. Max saw this in the rear view mirror and smiled at Mike.

XXXXX

Mike was startled awake. "We're here kids," Max said loudly enough to wake both Mike and El.

"I hope you brought extra shirts" Max referred to his shoulder.

"Mike said I could drool on his shoulder anytime Max," El said.

"Did he say _any_ time or _every_ time there's a subtle difference."

Mike looked out the window. It seemed like they were in the middle of nowhere. El was visibly relaxed, but held on to El's hand the entire time.


	11. Chief Jim Hopper

As they walked towards the cabin, El picked up the pace pulling Mike along. When the got to the cabin, Max held Mike's arm to hold him back a bit and looked at Mike. He nodded.

"Go ahead, El." Mike said. She reluctantly let go of his hand and raced to the door. He could hear that knock, and locks being unlatched.

Jim Hopper stood in the doorway. Mike forgot how tall he was. El wrapped her arms around his middle, the side of her face hugging his chest, eyes closed. Hopper kissed the top of her head his eyes were closed also. Their bond was a silent shockwave that emanated from where they stood.

Mike looked down then at Max and leaned towards her ear and sighed, "I want that with El."

"You have that now Mike. You don't see it, but trust me on this." Max said.

"So this is the guy who stole my little girl's heart." Hopper said when he and El stood apart. She walked to stand beside Mike, their hands entwined.

"I didn't steal it Chief," Mike looked at El, "just holding on to it until she returns mine." His cheeks went bright red. But El just beamed.

Hopper rolled his eyes and looked at Max.

"Don't worry Chief." Max said, "I'll pick up extra barf bags in town. "You're gonna need them. It's going to be like this all weekend."

"Come on Wheeler, we're going for a drive. I'll take you to your parents place."

El's eyes got wide and a helpless look bordering on panic appeared on her face.

"I'm not going to hurt him kid, we're just gonna talk."

"I know Dad, it's not that," El was searching for the right words and looked at Mike.

Mike said, "Chief, it's, uh... we don't like to be apart for very lo- uh, we don't like to be apart... at all."

Hopper looked over at Max, who shrugged and smiled.

"How about a compromise?" Mike said, "you take me in your truck and Max and El follow behind in her car?" El looked at Mike like he'd just rescued a puppy.

"That works...you guys are coming back tonight right?" All three of them nodded at the same time.

XXXXX

"Do I have to say it, Wheeler." Hopper looked over at Mike in the passenger seat.

"Max was pretty clear you'd have no trouble making the drive and pounding the shit out of me." Mike said. "So if you're intention for this ride was to make me feel like I was 12 years old again...it's, uh, working pretty well. You could skip the drive though, all you'd have to do is give Max the request."

"So you know about Max?"

"Yeah, that was one of the more surreal moments in my life." Mike looked out the window as they wound their way to his house.

"Does El know that you knew about the lab? How much _do_ you actually know?"

"She knows, I know. I um, helped edit Nancy and Jonathan's exposé about the whole thing. So I saw some stuff I didn't really need to. Didn't even think about it again until I met El. Makes me feel pretty good that she has you and Max…"

"She has you now, too, from what Max has said." Hopper was a good cop, in just a few short minutes he saw how El was with the Wheeler kid.

"El and I... have something special together... I suppose I should be thanking you. If you hadn't been able to save her…" Mike trailed off leaving his thoughts unspoken.

Hopper looked at him, then forward again, nodding. They were both silent for the rest of the drive.

They pulled into the Wheeler driveway. Max was right behind Hopper's truck yet. Mike saw Nancy come out right away and when she saw Mike she ran towards the truck, waited for him to get out, hugged him tight.

El saw this while still in the car, looked at Max. "Max? Whose hugging Mike like that?"

"It's ok El, that's Mike's sister, they're pretty close." El smiled relieved. Max put the car in park, and El got out immediately and ran over to Mike. Their hands linked.

Mike turned to the Chief and Max who were walking over to them, "Uh, Max, can you share a barf bag with the Chief?" Nancy looked confused. "Nancy, I want you to meet El Hopper, my girlfriend...and now my whole reason for being."

Hopper groaned, "is this gonna go on all weekend?"

"Yes," El smiled.

"It's nice to meet you," Nancy said looking at El. "I have something waiting for you in the house...Mike you know where it is." Mike nodded. El looked back and forth between the siblings smiling but wondering what they were talking about.

"And the redhead is Max"

"We've already met," Nancy told Mike.

"You have?" Mike was confused.

"Nancy and Jonathan were clients," Max said.

"Clients?" Mike said, not getting it, then "oh...right."

"I'm outta here." Hopper said. "See you when you get back." He looked over at Mike, who nodded to him.

Mike led El into the house, and towards the basement. When they were at the bottom of the stairs El's eyes widened and she smiled. "Your blanket fort."

Mike, "yeah, I don't think it's been touched in ten years, go ahead and sit in it. I didn't know it at the time, but I built it for you. It's too small for both of us to sleep in, but try sitting in it anyway."

El leaned in and kissed him, and crawled into the fort. She sat cross legged and looked out and up at him. "Your fort design skills got better, but this is workable."

"Package beside you is yours." Mike said. El looked to her side, and saw a box that looked like it came from a clothing store. She opened it, pulled out the contents and laughed.

"Ok this one must be for you. Go put this on."

While Mike went to the basement bathroom to give El some privacy. El put on a t-shirt that read " _I am Mike Wheeler's girlfriend"._

Mike joined her in front of the blanket fort. "When did you have time to get these made?" Mike's of course, read, " _I am El Hopper's terrified boyfriend"._

"I called ahead to Nancy this morning. You don't have to wear it after Max sees it."

"Wearing it all weekend Mike. I want people to see us together with these."

"Let's say bye to Nancy and then get some groceries for the weekend."

Nancy was in the kitchen when they made their way up the basement stairs. "Nance, we're going to head out get stuff for the weekend. I'm not sure we'll make it back here before we head back, so we're saying bye now."

"When you called about the t-shirts, you didn't say your girlfriend was going to be so pretty." El blushed but gave her a smile. Nancy gave El a tight hug and whispered into her ear, "thank you El, you have no idea how happy you've made him." El hugged her back nodding against her.

Nancy turned to her brother and said "you should call more often". She pulled him into a hug, and whispered "you treat her right you little shit, ok?"

They went back outside to find Max under the hood of her car. "Something wrong with your car Max?" Mike asked.

"Mid road trip maintenance. We ready to shop till we drop?" Max turned around and saw the t-shirts. "Seriously guys? This weekend is going to be worse than I thought. Can I walk in front of you so nobody knows I'm with you two?"

XXXXX

Max parked the car in front of Melvald's.

"I wonder if Will's mom is working. I'll introduce you, El."

Mike and El walked in hand in hand, and went to the cash where Joyce was finishing up with a customer. She grinned when she read El's t-shirt. But when she read Mike's t-shirt, she looked confused. "Niece?"

"Daughter...adopted...it's um, not widely known." Mike's look was intense enough that Joyce got the point and didn't ask any further questions. She just went into Mom mode.

"Will isn't back from New York."

"Yeah, I know. I talked to him last week about a cover for the new book. I figured I'd still introduce El to my best friend's Mom".

Joyce smiled, came around from behind the counter and gave El a hug. "Thank you sweetie."

"Thank you?" El said puzzled. Joyce pointed at her t-shirt. "Oh."

Joyce turned to Mike, has she met the rest of The Party yet?"

"The party?" El said, looking back and forth between Joyce and Mike.

"It would take too long to explain the dweebiness of the party," Max said, better to just wait and meet them."

"Ignore Max," and then to Joyce, "Not yet, I'll give Dustin and Lucas a call and see if we can meet up tomorrow"

"But to clarify," He said to El, "I'm our Paladin, Will's our Cleric, Dustin's our Bard, and Lucas is our Ranger...you would be..um, our Mage...and Max…."

"Zoomer, " Max said.

"That's not even a real thing."

"It could be," Max said.

Suddenly Joyce looked furious. "That shit has been banned from this store. I'm calling the police." She was looking out the window.

Mike looked up to see Troy walk into the store. Mike instinctively stepped in front of El and Max.

"Look who it is...frogface, and I think he has friends. Probably losers like he is."

"What?" Mike said, "are you twelve? Maybe you should re-examine the last few years of your life, and then look up the word _loser_ again."

"Yeah Wheeler? You looking to have that face rearranged? Who are you hiding behind you?" Both El and Max had stepped out. He looked at El, "ooh, nice t-"

And then he was on the floor, his nose was off centre and bleeding, it looked like his arm might have been broken because it was hanging at a funny angle.

Mike had never seen anybody move that fast. Not even in movies. One second Max was behind him, the next she was leaning over Troy, "got anything more to say, asshole? You still have teeth, but I can open the dentist office for you and relieve you of those. Free of charge."

Troy just sat on the floor cringing.

In a few minutes the store's front door opened and Callahan and Powell walked in. They walked over to Troy and said, "has it even been twenty minutes since you've been out of jail?"

They looked at Mike, Powell said, "you probably didn't need to hit him that hard," but then he noticed Max, "oh, Ms. Mayfield" and glanced Troy, "was that necessary?"

Max looked at them with eyes of steel. "Necessary and long overdue. I report to Hopper and he is going to want to know what that asshole was doing out of jail. And who authorized it. If he bothers my clients again, you will not be able to walk him to the hospital. You will need to use a gurney, provided by an ambulance."

"Are you threatening a Hawkins citizen? Ms Mayfield?"

"I'm sorry, did I stutter?" Max's gaze would have frozen dry ice. Both police officers were distinctly uncomfortable under it. "I stated some facts. I have no problem signing my name to to those facts in a police statement. A police statement I will make sure that Chief Jim Hopper reads and co-signs."

They mumbled and gathered Troy up and walked him out to the police cruiser.

Mike was stunned. "I will introduce you to The Party as Max our Zoomer. There will be no questions asked."

El said, "I've never seen you at work before. Scary and comforting at the same time."

Max said, "Give your boyfriend some credit. He got in front to protect both of us. Troy would have flattened him, probably has fifty pounds on Mike."

"Get your barf bag Max, I'm going to kiss my boyfriend now." El wrapped her arms around Mike's neck and kissed him. After an uncomfortably long time for both Max and Joyce, they parted.

Joyce said, "That's why you wear the t-shirt."

"That's why I wear the t-shirt". She gave Joyce a 10,000 watt smile.

XXXXX

The car was loaded up with more groceries than any twenty people would need for a weekend. The drive back was quiet. Mike and El, sat close together in the back seat, hand in hand.

When they got near Hoppers truck, there was another car there.

Max stopped the car, and was doing something in the front seat that Mike couldn't see.

"Stay here," she said, "I will be back in five. If I'm not…" She looked back and forth from El to Mike. "I will be back in five," she said firmly.


	12. El Meets The Party

Max came back to the car.

"Everything ok? Mike said, concerned.

"All good."

They got out of the car. She could see that Mike looked more than a little worried. "Mike," she said and looked into his eyes, "it's ok, was a last minute thing I didn't know about, but El is safe."

Mike was visibly relieved. "Thanks Max."

"Mike, I know I'm being paid, but screw that, El is my best friend. While I'm still breathing, I will let _nothing_ happen to you and El. _Nothing._ I promise." She looked at Mike with a ferocity that stopped him cold.

Mike pulled her into a hug. "Last hug you get from me Zoomer, I have a girlfriend that can do that."

El was a little bewildered, but she saw Max and Mike hug and smiled. Her best friend and her boyfriend were getting along. She knew that Max was a tough nut to crack, but how quickly she'd come to accept Mike... she gathered them both in a hug. "I am so lucky, I can't even..." El started to cry. Max and Mike hugged her back like they'd never let go.

"Jeezus you guys, how am I going to maintain my, badass-don't-give-a-shit-attitude if you two are around?"

"You are a Zoomer, you'll figure it out, " Mike said.

XXXXX

It was a bit of a struggle, but they got everything to the cabin.

El looked at Mike, "You know the knock."

Mike looked at Max, "um, I do, but... you do it El."

El looked down and nodded. She did the knock.

The locks unlatched a few seconds later and Hopper was at the door. El went to him and hugged his middle again, eyes closed. Hopper kissed the top of her head, eyes closed also.

Max looked at Mike and smiled.

Hopper helped them carry everything in.

Once the cabin door was closed Mike heard, "why didn't you call you little asshole." Dustin.

"Dustin, when did you start swearing?" Mike hugged him.

"Uh, do you even _know_ Dustin?" Lucas. Mike hugged him right after.

Mike stepped back, "El, Max, I want you to meet Lucas, The Party's Ranger, and my best friend. And Dustin, The Party's Bard, also my best friend. And yes, you can have two best friends. And three, I also include Will."

"Guys, this is El. She is our mage." Both Dustin and Lucas raised their eyebrows, but said nothing.

"And your girlfriend. Says so on her t-shirt." Dustin smiled at El, and went over and hugged her and whispered "I don't know you El, but thanks for being Mike's girlfriend. He will be good to you."

Lucas shook El's hand, but he was a little distracted. He had a hard time keeping his eyes off Max.

"And this is El's best friend, Max. She is our Zoomer," Mike said. Dustin and Lucas looked at each other and shrugged, both smiling. "Don't worry guys I'll work out the class details."

Hopper cleared his throat, "would this Zoomer be responsible for Troy's current condition?"

"Shit, Troy's out of jail again?" Dustin said, "you beat him up?" Not looking quite convinced at Mike.

"I wish. That honour goes to our Zoomer. But yes, Chief, Troy was being the mouthbreather he usually is. He was a little too forward with El. Max was professional-ish."

Hopper nodded.

" _Professional_?" Dustin said, "ish?"

"Max is El's bodyguard..with the skills to back up the job. Max, Dustin is a school teacher at Hawkins Middle, works with our favourite teacher Mr. Clarke, Will is an artist, does my book covers, Lucas is a lawyer. Total surprise to all of us."

El had been looking between Mike and her friends and back again. She saw the affection that they had for each other. She remembered what Dustin had whispered to her.

"El is my girlfriend. It's only been 2 days but…"

"We get it Mike," Dustin said. He turned to Lucas "are the t-shirts legally binding?" Lucas looked like he was thinking, "did he make you a blanket fort?"

El nodded a small shy smile on her face. "That seals it then, it's all legal Dustin."

Max handed Hopper a package, "these are yours, I have my own."

Max looked at the others, "barf bags."

XXXXX

The Party made plans to get together the next day and left early.

Mike and El were sitting on the couch hand in hand watching the little TV. El's head rested on Mike's shoulder. Max and Hopper we're talking quietly at the kitchen nook table.

"This is really serious," Max said to Hopper, "El is in really deep. I've known her for ten years and I've never seen her like this. I don't have any doubts, but, just being cautious you know?"

"El is lucky to have you as a friend. I didn't say anything directly to Wheeler. He understands. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to see how they are together."

"Chief, El would be devastated... I don't think it's something she could come back from, regardless of what she's been through already. I'm going to be watching for any sign."

They heard El say loud enough so they could hear, "Mike, find something to do in my room." He looked a little confused but did as she asked.

El came over to the table, and sat down. A serious look on her face. "I want to grow my hair longer for Mike."

Hopper grinned at Max, "It's ok kid, figured that was coming."

"But I also want to keep donating," she looked at Hopper, "I know you said I didn't have to... but I want to do both... I'm asking you guys for advice. I don't know what to do." She looked down.

Max said, "You know Mike doesn't care right? He'll want you to do whatever you want to do."

"I know, that's why I can't ask him."

"What about a compromise?" Hopper said raising his eyebrows.

"How do you compromise cutting your hair and growing it long?" El looked genuinely confused.

"Easy," Hopper smiled. "Grow your hair to your shoulders, get it cut to your ears. Wheeler will be entranced... believe me. Then you continue with that cycle. You get to have it both ways."

El's smile was radiant. She got up, walked around the table and gave Hopper a hug from the side. "Thanks Dad. That's perfect. I will feel…. prettier."

"He can't take his eyes off you now," Max said rolling her eyes.

"Oh, one more thing. Mike is sleeping in my room tonight. Non negotiable. Nothing will happen."

"He can sleep on the floor." Hopper growled.

"Ok," El said, "I'll sleep on the floor too. See we can have it both ways."

"Max, what am I going to do with those two?" Hopper grinned.

XXXXX

El went back to her room, and saw Mike sitting on the bed facing away. She went over and sat beside him.

"Good news, good news time." She smiled

"No bad news, is always a good thing."

"First you get to sleep in my room... on the floor". Mike grinned, he'd figured that he was going to to sleeping on the floor and made preparations to do so.

"The other good news, I can't tell you about, you will have to wait and see."

"Oooh, the mysterious El. I like it." Mike said his eyes going wide in mock surprise. El giggled.

Mike got really quiet and looked at El searching her eyes, her smile.

She looked back at him, a question in her eyes giving him a small smile . It had only been two days. He leaned over and kissed her softly.

"I love you, El."

Her bottom lip quivered a little, "I love you too Mike."

He leaned over and kissed her again...longer this time.

"I will always be with you, no matter what." Mike said.

"Promise?"

"Promise."


	13. Max Meets El

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tbis is a bit of a flashbak.

Chief Jim Hopper was driving home from the lab, a few hours after the raid. Heavy rain had started in Hawkins, threatening a big and loud storm.

Up ahead through the rain he saw a short lone figure, walking in the same direction he was driving. This person was no bigger than a child, had nothing on but a long hospital gown already soaked, and was walking barefoot, stumbling every few steps.

Hopper pulled over and walked back. At first he thought it was a boy about 12, but the finer features changed his mind. She was shivering and scared.

"Shit, let's get you out of the rain." She took one step back, eyes widened in fear.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I just want to make sure you are warm and safe. I'm Chief Hopper." He picked her up and she put her arms around his neck. Hopper carried her to the passenger side of the truck, and grabbed some blankets from the back seat and wrapped them around her shoulders, he took off his jacket and covered her legs and feet . Running around to the drivers side he hurried into the truck and closed the door.

Because he'd been driving for awhile there was plenty of heat coming from the truck's heaters. He adjusted all the vents so they were pointing at her feet and body to dry her off. It only took a few minutes for her to stop shivering.

"Thank you," he heard a small grateful voice barely above the sound of the heaters which he hand turned up full blast.

"Can you tell me where you are from?" Hopper said stealing a quick look at her.

"Bad place."

"Ah, shit," he said to himself, she must have been one of the two or three people that had escaped from the lab when the raid went down. He knew they hadn't accounted for everybody, but he didn't think there were any other kids left. He'd have to ask the Wheeler girl if she had a list of names on the story she was working on.

"Don't worry I won't take you back there. I have a safe place where you can stay. Nobody will know you are there." He looked over at her. She looked down, then back at him... and nodded, a small smile appeared.

Not long after, he took truck off road for a few minutes and then stopped. They were out in the middle of nowhere.

"It's a bit of a walk through the woods, but I'll carry you, you can't walk where we are going without shoes. You're dried off now,and the blanket is nice and warm, I'll put my jacket back on, wrap you up in the blanket. Between the trees and the blanket you should still be dry by the time were there. I won't drop you. I promise." The girl seemed happy with this arrangement and nodded, she pulled his jacket off her legs and handed it to him.

It wasn't as difficult as Hopper first thought it would be. She weighed almost nothing and she clung to his neck so it made the whole process a little easier.

It looked like a meandering walk through the woods, but Hopper walked with a purpose with chosen trail in mind.

In a few minutes they had reached a small cabin. Hopper and staccato knock on the door. In a few seconds locks unlatched and a 12 year old redhead was standing with the door open her hands on her hips. "You're late... what's that?" she said referring to the bundle that he was carrying.

"It's a who. I'll explain later, Max, turn up the heat a bit. Can you help clean her up and get her some of your clothes? I'll cook up something for us."

"Sure thing Chief, Zoomer to the rescue"

"Thanks Max, uh she doesn't talk much, not sure what kind of vocabulary we're dealing with here. Keep it to yes or no questions if you can."

Max led the girl to her room. "I'm not a fashion model, but I do have some things you can choose between." She rummaged through her drawers pulling out clothes for the girl to pick from.

"What's your name?"

"Eleven."

"I get it, hippy parents, could have been worse, at least I don't have to call you Sunflower or some stupid shit like that. I'm Max, short for Maxine buy nobody calls me that. Uh, we can call you 'El', short for Eleven?"

Eleven looked at Max for a few seconds and then nodded. She gave her a small smile.

"Ok, El, take your pick from these clothes. Not really a lot of pretty ones, but I don't really do pretty."

There as a loud noise outside the room. El drew up her knees wide eyed and looking around as if looking for a hiding spot and said quickly. "Bad men."

"No, El, it's just Chief hopper, moving something around". Max said, "You don't have to worry about him, he's a friend."

"What is _friend_ '?"

Max looked at her, saw how scared El was, "a friend is someone who'd do anything for you. Real friends are hard to come by. They don't lie to you, they don't judge you, they stand by you when you are having a bad day, or when you are in trouble. Friends are good."

El looked at the clothes Max had given her, "you are friend?"

Max sat down beside her, and hugged her, "I am your friend. Chief Hopper is your friend. He is more than a friend to me, he's like the dad I always wanted." Max sniffed, "everything is going to be ok, I won't let the bad men find you, Chief Hopper will help me."

El looked at her and then nodded, "thank you, Max"

Max had a rough two years, between the divorce, Neil, and her asshole step brother Billy. But it was clear to her she had it good compared to the girl in front of her who didn't even know what a friend was. She almost felt bad that she was feeling sorry for herself. Chief Hopper and given her sanctuary when he'd found her skateboarding towards Hawkins in the middle of the night. He'd had a strange look on his face when he'd asked her if her parents knew where she was and Max had replied, "I hope not."

Hopper stood in the doorway, "you two getting along ok? Max?"

"Her name is El, and we are her friends." El smiled and nodded.

Hopper looked at Max, then at El and nodded. "Ok, I'm a Chief, not a chef, but I think I managed to scrounge up something to eat, you ready?" He looked at both of them. They both nodded in unison and smiled.

Once they were all settled at the table, Hopper brought over plates. "Grilled cheese sandwiches. These may be the best I've ever made. For desert there are Eggos, but only after you've finished these... ok?" Both El and Max nodded, digging in.

"Are we in any danger here Chief?"

"No Max, this place isn't on any map, but we're going to do some extra things to make sure you two are safe. Got that?"

"I can't let Neil or Billy find me. I'll do anything you say. I will stay with El and she can be safe with me," Max looked at El and she nodded.

"Ok then, there are a few rules we have to follow. I call them the 'Don't Be Stupid Rules'. One, always keep the curtains drawn. Two, only open the door if you hear my secret knock."

Knock-knock. Knock. Knock-knock-knock.

"And three, don't ever go out alone, especially not in daylight. That's it. 'Cause we're not stupid, right?"

"Not stupid." El said vehemently.

Max smiled at Hopper. "You may regret all this," she said looking around the cabin.

"Maybe, " Hopper grinned. "Or it could be the best thing to happen to the three of us."


	14. El Meets Max

There were loud noises. Banging, scraping, running, yelling. Nobody was paying any attention to her. She could run away and no one would know.

She had been walking a long time, her feet hurt. There was a loud noise in sky and then water started falling all around. In a few minutes she was very wet and cold but she wanted to keep walking to get as far as the bad men as she could. Her feet, when she could feel them hurt and she'd almost fallen a few times.

There was a loud noise behind her and a big truck stopped beside her. She kept walking. Suddenly a very tall man was in front of her. She didn't understand what he said, "Shit, let's get you out of the rain".

He moved towards her and she stepped back, ready to turn and run.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to make sure you are warm and safe. I'm Chief Hopper." He gently picked her up, he was so warm, she wrapped her arms around his neck to get more of his warmth. He put her inside his big truck. It was warm there, he reached for something behind her, and wrapped her in a soft blanket. Then he took off his own jacket, and wrapped it around her legs and feet.

A few seconds later, he was sitting beside her, and fiddling with some controls in front of him. She felt very warm air blowing at her. She'd never been this warm, in a few minutes her teeth stopped chattering enough for her to say, "Thank you,"

"Can you tell me where you are from?"

"Bad place."

"Ah, shit." She could tell he didn't like the bad place, so maybe he wouldn't take her back there. She felt a spark of hope when he said, "don't worry I won't take you back there. I have a safe place where you can stay. Nobody will know you are there."

She didn't have to go back? He was looking at her, she looked at the coat that covered her legs, looked back at him and nodded. She was very happy she didn't have to back.

A little while later the truck stopped.

"It's a bit of a walk through the woods, but I'll carry you, you can't walk where we are going without shoes. You're dried off now, and the blanket is nice and warm, I'll put my jacket back on, wrap you up in the blanket. Between the trees and the blanket you should still be dry by the time were there. I won't drop you. I promise." She didn't have to walk in the woods anymore. She nodded and handed him back his coat. He picked her up again, just as gently as before. She was nice and warm now, but wrapped her arms around his neck, her head resting on his shoulder.

They seemed to be wandering through the woods, but she didn't mind, she felt warm and safe with the man that carried her. She felt him walk up stairs and then do a funny knock on a door…

"You're late. What's that?" said a girl's voice.

"It's a who. I'll explain later, Max, turn up the heat a bit. Can you help clean her up and get her some of your clothes? I'll cook up something for us."

"Sure thing Chief, Zoomer to the rescue."

"Thanks Max, uh she doesn't talk much, not sure what kind of vocabulary we're dealing with here. Keep it to yes or no questions if you can."

The girl had pretty red hair, and led her to a room. "I'm not a fashion model, but I do have some things you can choose between."

"What's your name?" The girl with red hair said.

She didn't have a name. Not a real one. She gave the girl what she was called in the bad place. "Eleven."

"I get it, hippy parents, could have been worse, at least I don't have to call you Sunflower or some stupid shit like that. I'm Max, short for Maxine but nobody calls me that. Uh, we can call you 'El', short for Eleven?"

Max didn't laugh or make fun of her, and said she would call her a pretty name. It was much better than what the bad men called her. She nodded and smiled at Max.

"Ok, El, take your pick from these clothes. Not really a lot of pretty ones, but I don't really do pretty."

El wasn't sure what Max meant, all the clothes she showed her were pretty and soft. Suddenly there was a loud noise outside of the room, she hugged her knees and looked around for a place to hide or a door she could go through to run away. She wanted to warn Max so she said, "bad men".

"No, El, it's just Chief hopper, moving something around". Max said, "You don't have to worry about him, he's a friend."

El didn't understand what Max said about the tall man.

"What is 'friend'?"

Max girl looked at her and said, "a friend is something who'd do anything for you. Real friends are hard to come by. They don't lie to you, they don't judge you, they stand by you when you are having a bad day, or when you are in trouble. Friends are good."

El looked at all the pretty clothes she'd been given, that must mean… "you are friend?"

Max sat down beside her, and hugged her, "I am your friend. Chief Hopper is your friend. He is more than a friend to me, he's like the dad I always wanted." Max sniffed, "everything is going to be ok, I won't let the bad men find you, Chief Hopper will help me."

El was relieved. She was sad for Max, but happy that they would help her stay away from the bad men, she nodded and said, "thank you Max."

The tall man, Hopper stood in the doorway, "you two getting along ok? Max?"

"Her name is El, and we are her friends." El smiled and nodded. She still didn't really know what a friend was, but Max said friends would help, and she now had two of them. She didn't have any friends in the bad place...at least nobody who would help her.

Hopper looked at Max, then at El and nodded. "Ok, I'm a Chief, not a chef, but I think I managed to scrounge up something to eat, you ready?" He looked at both of them. They both nodded and smiled.

Max led her to a table, and they sat down.

"Grilled cheese sandwiches. These may be the best I've ever made. For desert there are Eggos, but only after you've finished these...we clear?" El took a bite of the bread with orange stuff in it...her mouth watered, she'd never had anything that tasted so good.

She wasn't paying a lot of attention when Hopper and Max started talking.

"Are we in any danger here Chief?

"No Max, this place isn't on any map, but we're going to do some extra things to make sure you two are safe. Got that?"

"I can't let Neil or Billy find me. I'll do anything you say. I will stay with El and she can be safe with me" Max looked at El and she nodded.

"Ok then, I call them the 'Don't Be Stupid Rules'. One, always keep the curtains drawn. Two, only open the door if you hear my secret knock."

Hopper did the funny knock on the table.

"And three, don't ever go out alone, especially not in daylight. That's it. 'Cause we're not stupid, right?"

El had been called stupid before. It made her mad. She knew she was smart, she knew she didn't know a lot of words and found it hard to tell people things. But she was _not_ stupid. She wanted to let Max and Hopper know, she said in a very loud voice, "not stupid."

She could see Max looking around the little room they were in, "you may regret all this."

"Maybe, " Hopper grinned. "Or it could be the best thing to happen to the three of us."

El didn't know about Max and Hopper, but this was the best thing that had happened to her. For as long as she could remember. Ever. She had soft clothes that smelled pretty, she had two friends, food, and a warm place to sleep.

That was all she really needed right now.


	15. Old Haunts

True to her word, El slept with Mike on the floor, they'd managed to get into the sleeping back together. It wasn't roomy, definitely not made for two, but neither one minded. El loved being warm, especially if the warmth was coming from Mike.

El loved simply being loved. Sure Max and her dad loved her, for different reasons, but Mike… The love from Mike came off in waves, she felt giddy whenever she was close to him, and almost sick to her stomach when she didn't have him in her sight. It was only the third day.

Her head lay on his chest, their arms were wrapped around each other. They were both awake, both breathing in each other's closeness.

"So something kinda weird happened to me last night," Mike said in a low voice. "Hard to explain but when you got up to get a drink of water, I felt funny, not a good funny, almost sick.. I panicked a little, I was half asleep thinking I'd dreamed everything about you. The loss I felt…," Mike's voice got even lower, "it was bad, El. I've never felt that low before. This is going to sound a little flakey, but I don't think I can be out of your presence for very long. I know I told the Chief that we don't like to be apart, but last night... it really hit home for me."

El hugged him tighter, "we won't have to, I felt the same thing. Flakey but in a very good way, Mike."

They lay in the sleeping bag like that until they heard movement of Hopper and Max in the kitchen.

"I guess we should be sociable and say good morning."

The extricated themselves from the sleeping bag. Mike took El's hand and they went out to the kitchen. Max was helping Hopper cook.

Max turned around to look at them and rolled her eyes, "you're in the same room, do you have to hold hands all the time,"

"Yes." Both Mike and El said at the time.

Max made gagging sounds, "I knew this was going to happen, you two are going to make people hurl."

Hopper grinned. "So what have you three planned for the day?"

"We're getting The Party back together. We'll take El and Max around to the places we used to hang out. I want to introduce El to Mr. Clarke, at the school, so we'll start there, but work our way around Hawkins."

"Aren't you kind of old to be referring to yourselves as The Party?" Hopper said.

"It's not just a label Chief. It means we look out for each other, we don't lie to each other," Mike stole a quick glance at Max, "and when we make a promise to another Party member, we keep it." MIke blushed and looked at El. "We will be The Party, until there's only one of us left. End of."

"End of what?" Hopper said.

"The Party conversation." Mike wasn't angry or being disrespectful to the Chief, he had the power of friendship behind is words. Both Max and El looked at him, smiling. Hopper got it right away and smiled himself. El and Max would never have friends like this outside of this group...The Party.

"You realize, " Max said, "that at least one of you is going to have to learn to use a fork with the other hand... if, you know, you insist on holding hands at the table."

"I'll do it," Mike and El said at the same time.

Mike said, "El and I could feed each other? Would that work for you Max?"

"I'm eating breakfast here, " Max said, "I'd like to keep it down."

After breakfast, everyone pitched in to clean up.

"I'm going to the station, last minute paperwork I didn't finish yesterday. Anything happens, you call me…" He looked back and forth between them, "you _call_ me, ok?"

All three looked at Hopper and nodded.

XXXXX

"So where to first?" Max looked back and Mike and El in the backseat.

"Hawkins Middle first, we're going to meet Dustin and Lucas there."

"Is Lucas seeing anybody?" Max asked.

Mike had a blank expression, trying to process the question. "You're interested?" El's smiled, "He _was_ looking at you."

"I... might be...what about it Wheeler?"

"None of us were seeing anybody... except for me... now," he looked at El. "Hey Max, if,... you know... it happens, can I borrow some of your barf bags?"

"Screw you Wheeler, you'll have to get your own, I still have to put up with you two." El and Mike laughed.

XXXXX

Scott Clarke often went to the school on weekends, for a teacher it was required, this year was the first year he'd be working with Dustin Henderson, and he had to admit to himself that he was thrilled. Dustin _got_ science. Sure the rest of The Party-he smiled to himself when he thought of the group that way-were smart, and did well in his class, but science theory and facts just stuck to Dustin. He intuited outcomes to experiments, that was something you couldn't teach, at least not to the degree that Dustin had it.

He was getting everything ready so that when Dustin got to the class they could begin prepping it for the school year, when Mike Wheeler walked in the door.

He hadn't seen him for a few years. He was tall, had longish black unruly hair, that looked like he'd just stepped out of a rock band. He was holding hands with a striking, pretty girl, who had beautiful eyes and very short hair.. He could tell just by their body language they were in love... no, scratch that, they had something more, something much deeper. It was uncanny to realize it and Scott was a little disoriented.

He recovered quickly. "How's my favorite Paladin?" Mike grinned and came over and shook his hand.

He turned to the pretty girl, "El, this is my all time favourite teacher, Mr. Clarke. He made science fun. He made _learning_ fun, not a lot of teachers can say that. Not only that, but he taught The Party what it was to be kind to people, to be interested in what they say, to simply be a good person... just by being the person he is. If it would all fit, Mr. Clarke could put it on a t-shirt."

The girl, El, absolutely _beamed_ a smile at him. And then walked over and gave him a hug, "thank you " she said.

Scott was taken aback. "Mike may be over-exaggerating a little bit, but it's a nice compliment, thank you Mike."

"Mike meant every word of it," El said. "Friends don't lie."

"Uh, Mike, hold on to this one. I can only assume she's an official member of The Party...let me guess….your Mage?"

"El, see what I mean, he just _gets_ it. Yes, our Mage. I will be holding on to this one. Always and forever." El went back to Mike, their hands melded again.

Just then another pretty girl walked into the classroom , flaming red hair and an attitude about her that was hard to deny.

Mike said, "and this... is our Zoomer, Max, and El's best friend. And my friend too."

Max smiled at him, "Hello Mr. Clarke." She held out her hand.

"You know my name?" he said confused as he shook her hand.

Max looked over at his desk, "I had a hunch, you proved it right.". He turned around to see the nameplate on his desk. This was another smart girl. Mr. Clarke wasn't really surprised that all of Mike's friends were smart. But this one was shrewd, she would be a force to be reckoned with.

"So Mike, what brings you here?"

"I wanted El and Max to meet the person who shaped me. Pretty much made me who I am today…." Mr. Clarke smiled but blushed and nodded at the same time.

"We're supposed to meet Dustin and Lucas here also."

"Dustin should be along any minute, with Lucas in tow if I had to guess."

"Did I just hear my name?" Lucas walked into the classroom and stopped short when he saw Max.

El showed a secret smile to Mike.

Not two seconds later. "Sorry I'm late, m'lord, " Dustin walked in, "and Ladies." He made a sweeping bow to El and Max. El giggled, Max smiled.

"It's ok Dustin, we have a couple of hours work ahead of us, but I wouldn't think of holding you back from your friends. We can do this next week, we have plenty of time."

"So, what's the plan?" Lucas looked away from Max. They all started walking through the school hallway.

Dustin checked off items with his fingers, "Quarry, stop in to the police station to say hi to Steve, train tracks to the junkyard, Benny's for lunch. All the old haunts."

"We can't walk to all those places, take way too long." Mike said.

"Yes it would," Dustin said. "I was late for a reason. Follow me." The four of them followed Dustin outside.

A slow smile appeared on Mike's face as he saw five bikes, waiting in the bike rack.

"Steve helped, this will be our transportation for the day," Dustin said proudly.

Mike turned to El, "Bikes were like Cadillac's to us back then. We went everywhere on them... just like we will today." Mike had a look of nostalgia on his face. He leaned into El and kissed her, "I want to give you this memory…" he looked down, "you know... because..."

"I know, Mike," El said, her eyes stinging a little bit. She pulled Mike into a hug. "In three days you've made me happier than I ever thought possible." Her heart was soaring.

Dustin and Lucas looked at each other with raised eyebrows, Max was looking down.

Everyone gave Mike and El their space till they parted.

"You will notice, that each bike is equipped with pack that contains a walkie talkie, they call them FRS radio's now, a compass, a flashlight in case we get too late."

"...and snacks?" Mike said.

"And snacks. We need energy for our travels."


	16. The Quarry

The Party made good time to the quarry and decided to walk down the winding dirt road. Dustin and Lucas in front. Max just behind them, Mike and El following behind. Holding hands.

They propped their bikes up against some trees, Mike stopped El, and said "There's um, something I need to tell you. Two somethings."

Max couldn't hear exactly what Mike was saying but she noticed that Mike was talking to El and he looked serious.

"First is...um, El, I can't stop thinking about you." Her concerned look, broke into a full face smile dominated by her eyes.

"I thought it was just me." El said. "I think I'm obsessing about you a little bit."

Mike chuckled, "Ok I thought the obsessing thing was only me." Mike got his serious look back. "I mean it El, I don't want to sound cliché, but you are the last thing I think about at night, and the first thing I think about when I wake up. And then all day, for the last 3 days. I know I told you I loved you, but I think it's more than that."

"What could be more?" El said her brow was furrowed.

Mike looked at her, "What the two of us have."

El's eyes were brimming with tears. "Yes.. what we have, Mike." Mike leaned over and kissed her softly. He could taste the tears that had spilled down her cheeks.

She wiped her eyes, "That was one something. A good something….you said two somethings?"

"Yeah, uh, Max you need to hear this." Max looked up quickly and took a step closer.

Mike put both hands on El's shoulders and looked deep into her eyes, and then kissed her nose and said, "Um, El, you have the cutest nose I've ever seen." She had a lopsided smile. But then Mike said, "your eyes are beautiful, of course, first thing I noticed about you….but your nose…." He gave a big over-exaggerated sigh and kissed her nose again.

Max rolled her eyes, "really Wheeler, I didn't need to hear that, how many times do I have to listen to you say that your girlfriend is pretty."

"I was talking about her nose. And anyway, I said you were pretty too, so don't knock it." Max turned a little red.

"Hey Lucas, you think our Zoomer is pretty right?" Mike said loudly. Lucas had the the distinct deer in the headlights look.

He managed, an "uh...".

"Seriously Wheeler….," Max walked over and kissed Lucas full on the mouth. This time it was Mike with the wide eyes.

Dustin had been rummaging around in his bike pack, and happened to look up just at the right time.

"Uh, guys, what did I just miss?"

"Your Zoomer just kissed your Ranger, after he failed to correctly answer a skill testing question asked by your Paladin." El laughed.

"I think in nerdy talk," Max said, "he rolled a 1." Mike laughed.

They all continued toward the quarry. Dustin and Lucas continue toward the edge, Mike was about to follow with El, when her grip on his hand tightened, and with her other hand she grabbed onto his arm and pulled back little, "please Mike, it doesn't look safe." Her eyes were wide and pleading. Mike stopped.

"Uh, guys, not so close to the edge. We haven't been here in a long time, we don't how safe the quarry edge is."

Both Dustin and Lucas stopped in their tracks, Lucas reached out gently grabbed Max's arm and gave a slight shake of his head. Max looked at him then back at El and gave him an acknowledging nod.

El's relief was palpable, she thanked Mike with her eyes.

Max walked towards Mike and El, "you ok, El?"

"...Yes...I panicked a little thinking that Mike might slip... maybe I overreacted."

"I think if our parents had known we came here all the time…," Mike trailed off, but both Dustin and Lucas were nodding.

"You don't think of those things when you are younger." Lucas said, "we have more responsibilities now ... people who depend on us, " he looked at Max, "… better safe than sorry. Don't worry about it El."

"The whole point was to show Max and El, all the places we used to hang out... so this was the quarry... moving on..." Dustin said and with a determined walk headed back to their bikes.


	17. Steve

"Does she know?" Hopper asked Steve. Hopper had decided he was not doing painful paperwork on a Saturday morning by himself. He thought he would share the misery and told Steve Harrington to get his ass into work.

"Hopper, I get it you're punishing me for.." Steve looked up from his desk, "what _are_ you punishing me for? I can barely spell my name right now, it's with two e's right?"

Hopper grinned, "just spreading the love, Deputy. We can get it done quicker if we're both working on the backlog. Instead of either one of us losing the whole day, we can have our afternoon."

"You didn't answer my question," Hopper re-iterated.

"Does who know what?" Steve was still confused.

"Does Max know that Billy is getting out." Hopper said. It had been Steve who'd arrested Billy for drunk driving, the same night he'd killed Barbara Holland, smashing into the car. The Wheeler girl had never gotten over it.

"I haven't been able to reach her, I just keep getting the answering machine."

"They could be dropping by, we can tell her then."

"They?" Steve said.

"She's in back in town with her best friend, her best friend's boyfriend," Hopper paused a second, "and his friends."

"She's not going to be happy," Steve said.

"Max can hold her own, don't worry about her." Hopper went back to his paperwork

XXXXX

"What was wrong with the bike ride?" Dustin said complaining, as The Party walked into the Hawkins police station.

"I didn't get to hold El's hand the entire time," Mike said. He was half serious. "It felt strange not being beside her the whole time."

El kept silent, but she had been feeling off the entire time riding beside Mike. She wasn't able to get close enough.

"I know I keep threatening to barf the but seriously Wheeler, you're pushing it." Max said.

Mike leaned over to Lucas and said loud enough for Max to hear. "Not a romantic bone in her body... you have work to do." Then left Lucas to fend for himself.

Dustin made his way quickly over to Steve's desk, talked to him in a low voice.

Steve got up and walked over to the Party. "What are you dip-" he stopped talking when he saw El. He looked a little flustered. He wasn't prepared for her eyes, but tried to maintain his composure.

"Who's the new girl?"

To Mike's surprise, El said proudly, "I am Mike Wheeler's girlfriend."

Mike and Steve looked at each other awkwardly... It had been a long time, and Mike hadn't really cared at the time, but he could tell memory of Nancy still stung a little bit with Steve.

"I figured you were glued to him for a reason…. Max, I need to talk to you in the Chief's office."

Mike saw that Flo was still keeping the office running, she came back from the filing room to see what all the commotion was for on a Saturday morning. She saw Mike and smiled. "I take it, this pretty girl is yours."

"More like I'm hers, hi Flo." Another beaming smile from El.

"So how long have you been together?"

"Three days."

"Only three days? You wouldn't know it to look at you two…." She pointed her finger between Mike and El.

"If you have this after three days, you will be together for the rest." She saw Mike and El smile at each other's eyes.

Yes, forever. Flo knew. You didn't need to be psychic to see that.

XXXXX

"What's going on, Chief" Max said as she walked into Hopper's office. Steve was right behind her.

"Take a seat." Hopper gestured to the seat across from his desk. Steve closed the office door and stepped to the side of Hopper's desk.

"Billy's getting out... turns out that even if you kill somebody with your car while driving drunk, they still let you out of prison. Rumour has it, he'll be heading back here."

"I hope so," Max said.

"So we asked you in here to warn... wait... you hope so?" Steve said.

"No." Hopper sighed, "I wanted to ask Max to keep her from injuring Billy too much. It's inevitable that you're gonna put him in hospital... at least give the surgeons something to work with."

Steve blinked. "I don't follow. How is Max gonna put him in the hospital. As a precaution I checked to make sure she didn't have a weapon registered or otherwise."

Max smirked, "Ok consider this my official registration of my weapon"

"I don't see a gun."

"I don't need one Harrington, think of me as Martin Riggs."

Hopper grinned, "She _is_ the weapon. She's El's bodyguard."

Steve made some mental connections. "Oh" Then he made a lot of connections, all at once, and more loudly, "OH!" Steve got quieter. "That's Eleven... she's doing ok?"

"Mike and El have found each other." Max said looking at Hopper.

"How many years have they been together?" Steve asked curious.

"Three days." Hopper said. He could see his deputy mouthing the words, not quite comprehending.

"Um... three days," he said shaking his head. Max and Hopper were silent.

XXXXX

Hopper was the first one out back into the main area. When El saw him, she let go of Mike's hand and went to give him a hug. The room got a little quieter, everyone was trying not look, no one said anything. When they parted, background noise got louder again, and El went back to Mike, their hands rejoining.

Max went over to talk to Lucas. "You stick near Mike and El. Makes my job easier."

"You're not my bodyguard, Max." Lucas said.

"Today I am... sorry about earlier, but for the rest of the day I need you to do what I say when I say it? Ok?

"Earlier... was... ok…," Lucas smiled, "unexpected, but, not the worst thing that has ever happened to me. Something I should know about?"

"My asshole brother, is getting out of prison. Don't know if it's today, but I'm not taking any chances. You and El are my priority today." Lucas hadn't heard Max talk all that much. Most of it had been sarcastic, and very lighthearted. This Max was all business, she had a stone cold look on her face that let you know she wasn't asking. Anything.

"We came by to say hi, but it looks like actual police work was done, so we'll be on our way." Dustin said.

"You have the radios?" Steve asked.

Dustin showed it clipped to his belt, "I know what channel to use…"

"What's the next stop for... the Party," Hopper said and tried not to roll his eyes.

"Junkyard," Dustin said.


	18. Heavy Tracks

The Party had ditched the bikes in favour of taking the long walk on the railroad tracks to the junkyard. Max, Lucas and Dustin were ahead by a couple of dozen yards, giving Mike and El some alone time such as it was.

El had been quiet on the way to the tracks, but never let go of Mike's hand. At first Mike thought they were enjoying a comfortable silence, like they'd done that in the blanket fort, but then he started to wonder if something was wrong or if El was upset about something.

They had already walked quite a ways and Mike finally had to say something. "You've been awfully quiet, even for you…"

"I have a few things I need to tell you, Max and my dad already know, but it's not fair if I don't tell you because it affects you the most."

XXXXX

Dustin had pulled ahead of Max and Lucas, sensing that they needed some privacy also. He didn't mind getting to the junkyard first, then he could complain about how slow they were when they finally caught up.

"So, Max…" Lucas said, "this thing between Mike and El, it's really serious isn't it?"

"You've known Mike longer than the rest of us, what do you think? I know it's serious for El, and I've talked to Mike, and I've read his books. Wasn't that hard to put two and two together."

"He was always the Party leader, but... from when we were about twelve, onwards till he moved, out of Hawkins, he was... I don't know... lost? It was like his fire had left him. His confidence was gone, he still did ok in school, but he was different you know? If you're saying he only met El a couple of days ago, then it's weird. Because it looks like they've been together for years. Just look at them back there." Lucas took a quick glance to see that Mike and El and stopped and were facing each other, talking.

"Stop here, " Max said. She looked back to check on Mike and El and turned to face Lucas. "So you may have guessed, I'm a no bullshit kind of person."

"Yeah, I got that when I 'rolled a 1', " Lucas made air quotes and grinned.

A little less harshly, Max said, "I don't know you, but I want to. If you're not interested, well that would suck, but tell me now and I'll... get over it..."

XXXXX

"El, you already know, that I'm in this, forever... whatever it is, we'll work through it," Mike said.

El took a deep breath. "I can't give you children Mike." El was looking down.

"I know El, the lab... no need to explain. I'm ok with it if you are. We could always adopt if we feel the need to be parents. I don't right now, but it would be a decision we made together."

El looked at him in wonder, searching his eyes to see if he was being honest with himself. She knew he wouldn't lie to her but she didn't want him regretting anything.

She took a quick look to see that Max and Lucas had stopped up ahead and were talking.

"So this next thing is a bit awkward."

XXXXX

"What do you think they're talking about?" Lucas asked Max.

"I have an idea. Not telling you, but I have an idea. I'm a little worried about what Mike is going to say."

"That serious, huh?"

"Yes, last big hurdle for them I think,"

XXXXX

"I don't want to be apart from you," El said.

"You know I feel the same way"

"And I mean at night too... but... I'm... not ready to give myself to you... not yet." El looked at Mike feeling very shy, waiting to see his reaction.

"It's ok El, if I get to be by your side every night, that can wait. I know most guys would just whine about it... but I'm not most guys. Nobody else will understand it, they'll just assume, so don't let it bother you."

"You are being very patient with me. You're right, nobody will understand it, they can think what they want. We will know the truth… thank you Mike."

"I would never do anything to risk what we have. Not worth it. I waited too long." Mike leaned in and kissed her. "I love you El. I would do anything for you."

"I know Mike, I love you too... I can't believe you found me."

XXXXX

"They kissed, " Lucas said, "couldn't have been all that bad. Hmm…" he put his hands on Max's shoulders, pulled her in and kissed her.

"They're. We're even, " Lucas said. Max's cheeks flushed. "Ok I feel like I'm twelve again. I regret nothing. Um, so I guess that's my answer, I'm interested too."

XXXXX

Mike and El started walking again, close beside each other, their arms joined down to their interlaced hands.

El felt like she was floating again. She was surprised at how well Mike had taken the news. She had been dreading the conversation. She knew she couldn't wait too long before she had to let him know. But he understood. He didn't need any further explanation... and he was ok with it.

"How do you feel right now... not about me, I know that, " El looked at him smiling, "I mean in general."

"I'm at peace, El. Been a long time since I've felt like this. A small part of it is being in Hawkins again, " he laughed, "never thought I'd say that. The biggest part is being with you. I would be ok anywhere as long as we're together. I'm going to miss this a little bit when we go back."

"What if we don't?" El said casually.

"Don't what? Go back?" Mike looked thoughtful.

El sighed, "Gets complicated if we don't."

"Hmm, I see three problems, two are easy to fix, one maybe not."

"You have me curious…" and a little hopeful El thought to herself waiting for Mike to explain.

"The hardest thing is convincing Max to move back. She's your best friend and would follow you anywhere, but it might not be fair to her, she'll have to deal with her brother at some point."

"If your apartment and Max's bodyguard services are paid for by the...lab compensation, it probably doesn't matter where you live. We can talk to her see what she thinks."

"What are the two easy to fix ones? " El said.

"We'd have to find an apartment in Hawkins, or buy a house, whatever you wanted. I'm sure you're dad would put us up until then, but he will get cranky about our sleeping arrangements. It will be fun house hunting with you." El smiled and gave his hand a squeeze.

"I'm not looking forward to moving all of our things, Max and I accumulated a lot."

"That's the easiest part. I have a friend I met through the whole book publishing thing. His business is best described as a 'move planning and execution'. Basically you give him the authority to do everything, and he and his crew do it."

"Can't any moving company can do that for you? Packing and moving, what makes his company different?" El asked.

"We don't have to go back...at all. I call him up, give him the authority, a contract is signed and faxed, and he takes care of everything. Gets into your apartment, legally, of course. Takes care of reselling condos, apartments, or getting out of leases, all that."

"Max and I can't afford something like that, " El said her face fell.

"I told Max I don't make Stephen King money, but I do pretty well. You are Mike Wheeler's girlfriend, any money issues you may have had disappeared three days ago. One phone call, I can make it happen."

XXXXX

Max and Lucas had started walking closer together and a little slower, waiting for Mike and El to catch up.

"Everything going ok back there?" Max called over her shoulder.

"We are good, Max" El said, smiling up at Mike.

"At some point today, I have to visit my mother. She will not be a happy camper if I visited Hawkins for a weekend and didn't see her." Mike said. "And if she finds out I have a girlfriend and didn't drop by… I'm not going to be able to deal with the guilt."

"I've love to meet your mother, " El said enthusiastically.

"Um, ok, cornered... how about I invite you and Max to dinner?"

"Wheeler, no mom likes to have last minute guests." Max said, "you can't spring us on her like that."

"She will be fine with it. I will just introduce you as El's best friend... um, not her bodyguard."

"Meeting your parents…" El looked worried.

"It will be fine El, my mom will gush over you and Max. My dad will... be sleeping until dinner. But if you really don't want to do it El, just say the word. I'll never bring it up again."

"I'm just nervous, I'll be ok."

"It's worse for guys, believe me, it-" Mike suddnely looked scared, "Is that Dustin on the ground in the junkyard?" Lucas started running immediately. Max, Mike and El, followed right behind.

Dustin was groaning a bit. They helped him up, just as they heard a noise, Billy stepped out from the bus. He was all muscle.

He was really worried about Max, Troy was one thing, but Billy was dangerous.

Mike stepped in front of El. She pressed up against his back and put her arms around his waist. He was tensed up. "It will be ok Mike."

"And what do we have here?" Billy said, taking a swig out of a bottle.

"I don't know about these guys," Max nodded over her shoulder, walking towards him, "but I see...hmmm...an asshole with two broken knees and a dislocated elbow, I hear that one is really painful."

"You getting smart with me Max?" Billy walked towards her.

"Give me an excuse, Billy, I've been waiting ten years for this."

Billy made to backhand her.

And that was it. He as on the ground. Screaming in pain, then he was drowned out by sirens.

Mike would be lying if he said he actually saw what happened.

Hoppers truck skidded to a stop, there was an ambulance right behind.

"Everything ok, Max?" Hopper got out and glared at Billy. Steve came out behind him, ran over to the Party.

"You brought an ambulance, how thoughtful of you." Max said.

Lucas was dumbstruck. At first he was scared for all of them, especially Max who had to know she was going to get it the worst.

But then Max…. Lucas thought he might be in love.

Two paramedics came up, "Any idea of what his injuries are?"

"Two _really_ badly broken knees, and a badly broken elbow." Max said, all business.

"Did he jump off the bus?" one paramedic said.

"No, something much more stupid than that, he tried to hit me," Max said. She walked over to Billy and crouched down. "Listen up asshole, those hurt when they get broken the first time. Next time, I will break them again, but next time I'm going to make it really painful. You won't walk right after that, if at all."

"Do. I. Make. Myself. Perfectly. Clear." Billy cringed. Max cupped her ear. "Say, 'yes, Max'"

"Yes, Max" he croaked out between gritting his teeth in pain.

Max got up, "I'm done with you piece of shit asshole."

She walked back to the party, "still think I need a gun Harrington?" she smirked.

"Um, holy shit?"

Everybody looked at Max.

Hopper had a new found respect for the girl, a feeling of relief that El was in good hands.

Lucas had a goofy grin on his face, couldn't quite talk yet.

Mike felt immense relief, the worry draining from his face, El came up beside him, all smiles. "If she wants to go back, we go back...ok Mike?"

"Not a problem, El"

"You gonna feed me Wheeler? I just put out a lot of energy, Dustin's snacks aren't going to cut it anymore."

"Yes, I'm also introducing you as El's bodyguard." Mike said, "be my honour."


	19. Dinner At The Wheeler's

Mike was sitting across from Hopper reading a newspaper at the kitchen table while Max and El changed.

"I don't know why they feel the need to change." Mike said looking in the direction of the room.

"You don't know a lot about women do you, Wheeler." Hopper said glancing up from his paper.

"No chief, I guess not, no opportunity, really. Um, we were thinking of of moving back to Hawkins, "Mike said testing the waters.

"Was that your idea?" Hopper raised his eyebrows.

"It was El's , but both and she and I agree that unless Max wants to also, it's not going to work. She could be asking her right now." He nodded towards El's room.

"I guess I don't need to ask you how you are going to support my daughter...you're going to buy a house?"

"Whatever El wants to do"

"So if Max agrees, and you buy a house…"

"In-law suite." I've already thought about it.

"This is all happening very fast for you guys." Hopper said.

"I know, chief, sometimes I think it might be easier if we just tell everyone we've been together for a few years, nobody will question it then."

XXXXX

"Max, would you like to move back to Hawkins" El said. Max responded best to direct questions.

"Is that what you guys were talking about on the tracks?"

"It was one of the things, it was me that brought it up, this isn't coming from Mike."

"Yeah, I do." Max sighed, "I'm not looking forward to packing everything up and all the arranging... I don't want to lose any time... getting to know Lucas."

El gave her a wide smile, "I thought as much. Um, Mike has it covered."

"He has it covered?" Max said skeptical.

"You will have to sign something authorizing the work... Mike didn't go into detail... he may not know all of it."

"I'm going to miss being your roommate…," Max looked a little sad.

"I think Mike has something in mind, he knows how important we are to each other."

XXXXX

Mike had only ever seen El wearing jeans and a plaid shirt. He was not ready for the simple white dress she wore that hugged her slim figure. Max wore what looked like the same style of dress but in black.

"Uh, wow, you look beautiful" He looked at El, who cast a shy glance at the floor. Then at Max, "you too Max, but you're still not my type."

"Back at ya, Wheeler."

They headed out to the car, for the drive to the Wheeler residence.

XXXXX

"So we're agreed then? I make the call, we sign the paperwork?" Mike said looking at Max in the rear view mirror.

"Why are you doing this for me Wheeler?"

"You are El's friend. That's the only reason I need."

XXXXX

Mike knocked on the door of the house he grew up in. Max behind him, El by his side, holding onto his arm.

Nancy answered the door and gave her brother another hug, and then El right afterwards.

"It's Mikey!" said Holly.

"Hey squirt," Mike leaned down and hugged his little sister tightly, kissed the side of her head. El's heart swelled at the sight of Mike's love for his younger sister.

Karen Wheeler was still in the kitchen working on dinner, when she heard the front door, she leaned back to see her son, with two pretty girls, one with beautiful red hair, and the other girl holding on to Mike's arm like she'd never let go. Karen smiled, her Michael had himself a girlfriend. Nancy said they had something special and it sure looked like it.

She could see Mike bend down to hug Holly, and the look on his girlfriends face confirmed it for her. She went to greet them.

"Hi mom," Mike said smiling at her and met her halfway to hug her. "I want you to meet El Hopper, my girlfriend."

Karen was not prepared for how pretty the girl was, her eyes, her smile would have melted any boy's heart. "Hello Mrs. Wheeler." Genuine warmth emanated from her as she spoke in a soft voice.

"Call me Karen...Michael did you say El Hopper? This is the Chief's daughter?"

"And he didn't punch me or anything... the one with the attitude is Max Mayfield, El's best friend... and bodyguard."

"El is really pretty, so is Max," Holly said.

"Holly!" Karen said, "don't embarrass our guests like that."

"Well, it's true, " she pouted a little.

XXXXX

The were all settled and dinner was served. Ted started eating his chicken right away.

"So Michael, " Karen said, "you should have brought your girlfriend here months ago. You didn't need to hide her from me you know."

She saw Mike and El look at each other smiling. Then Mike gave his mom a big sigh…"it hasn't been months mom."

"Ok weeks ago then," she saw Mike and El smile at each other again. Karen looked back and forth between them. "What?"

"Three days mom," Mike said. Waiting for the disbelief.

"Three days?" Karen and Nancy said at the same time, their eyes wide in confusion.

Karen suddenly remember the greetings at the front door, "Wait, you said Max was El's bodyguard, if she's Hopper's daughter, then that means..." Karen Wheeler was a smart woman, she'd read enough Harlequins to know what was going on.

"Oh, you poor dear, you are Eleven." Karen looked at Nancy. Nancy looked really upset, covered her mouth, then stood up quickly and ran up the stairs.

Mike was quiet. El said in a soft voice, "let me go talk to her." Mike nodded. He couldn't help Nancy, maybe El could.

XXXXX

El found Nancy's room, her door wasn't closed all the way, El could hear crying. She peaked around the door. "Nancy?"

Nancy gestured for her to come in. El closed the door behind her.

"I'm so sorry, El" Nancy hugged her and cried on El's shoulder.

"Don't be. You should be proud, if it hadn't been for your article, I would never have escaped, my dad would never have found me, and I wouldn't be having dinner with Mike Wheeler's family tonight. "

Nancy just cried harder, "thank you El…"

"You saved me from my past and my dad saved me from my future...Mike," El sighed, "Mike saved my heart. I can never repay you... never." El had started to cry also, "sorry, I'm supposed to be comforting you."

"You have a pure soul, El. It's no wonder Mike loves you.." Nancy sniffed, shaking her head, "three days… I don't think you and Mike needed any longer than that, you just needed to find each other."

XXXXX

Mike was starting to get a little fidgety. It had only been a few minutes, but he could feel the weight in the pit of his stomach starting to grow.

"Are you ok Michael?" His mother asked.

"El and I don't like to be apart," Mike said looking toward the stairs.

"She's just upstairs, Michael" Mike only looked at her. His mom didn't get it.

They heard quiet footsteps and El came back into the dining room. She hugged Mike from behind said softly in his ear, "she'll be ok Mike, sorry I was so long. " She sat down beside Mike again.

Karen could hear what El said, the way she hugged Mike. She knew that their hands had sought and rejoined under the table. They were both so young to be in this deep after only a few days. She could barely understand it, but she was ecstatic that her son had found such a sweet girl. One with a troubled past she seemed to have overcome. Karen had always been a little sad that Mike had been so lonely. This girl... Karen could tell... this girl was Mike's soulmate. She wondered if they knew.

"So mom, we're moving back to Hawkins." Mike said.

"Michael," Karen started to tear up a little. She recovered quickly and said, "where will you live until you find a place?"

"I know Nance, is going back home to Jonathan, so I thought Max could stay in her old room? El and I will take the basement? The Chief's place is too small for that length of time. We can help out with meals, do our own laundry, and rent, so it's not too much of a burden."

"You are welcome to stay here as long as you need to. I'm not going to charge you rent, Michael, and yes, you will do your own laundry."

"I knew you'd end up in living in your mom's basement... at least you have company so it's not all bad, just make sure you move out again." Max said.


	20. Epilogue

It had been 30 days in a row that she'd had woken up in the morning as Mrs. El Wheeler. Her dad, Mike's mom, and Max had cried like babies at the wedding. The Party was a little better at covering it up. Mike and El had exchanged their promises. They had done it within three days of meeting, of course, so this was just a formality.

This was also the the fifth day in a row that El had woken up in bed without Mike beside her. She knew where he was, sitting in front of his computer, the one he used to write with. She was worried, she got up and walked to his writing room, hugged in from behind, nuzzling his neck before kissing it.

"Nothing?

"Nothing, El. I don't know what to write, all my books centered around this one character, I lived vicariously through that character. He was lonely, wanted adventure, you know what the say 'write what you know'. So it was easy, a lot of what I felt, was in that character. The stories practically wrote themselves."

El swung around and sat sideways in his lap her hands clasped behind his neck, "but now you're happy, you don't have anything to work with."

"Happier than I've ever been, so yeah." He looked up to her, El leaned in and gave him a soft kiss.

"Well you have you're answer, you just told me." El said smiling.

"I did?" Mike was confused now.

"Write what you know." El said simply.

Mike thought for a few seconds…"you think I should write a love story?"

"Only if you have inspiration," El looked at him shyly. "Can you think of any love story that would practically write itself?"

A slow smile spread across Mike's face…"um, I think I do. I think I have exactly the story I want to tell. Thanks El…"

El leaned in and kissed him again. "I can't wait to read it."

"You will like it"

"Promise?"

"Promise"

Mike started typing:

_"I will open the door for you" a young woman's almost staccato voice said beyond his vision."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a sequel, "Learning to Love Again" Posting first chapter today.


End file.
